USDA freezes millions for Maine universities after Mills, Trump dispute

3 hrs ago

Kennedy Felton Anchor

By Kennedy Felton (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily paused millions of dollars in federal funding to the University of Maine System. This comes pending a review of compliance with a new order aimed at banning transgender athletes from competing in certain sports.
The freeze follows a tense exchange between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, where Trump warned that funding would be pulled if trans athletes were allowed to participate in sports in Maine.
UMS has provided responses to the USDA confirming its athletic programs comply with state and federal laws, as well as the NCAA’s policy barring male-assigned athletes from competing in women’s sports.

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The University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has temporarily paused millions of dollars in federal funding, pending a review of compliance with a new order aimed at banning transgender athletes.

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The freeze comes after President Donald Trump had a tense exchange with Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills at the White House in February.

Speaking to the National Governors Association on Feb. 21, Trump called on Mills, warning her that the federal government would pull funding from Maine schools if they allowed trans athletes to play in sports.

“We’ll see you in court,” Mills responded to Trump.

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The day after the argument, the USDA launched a compliance review accusing UMS of disregarding President Trump’s order.

How is a lack of funding impacting Maine universities?

In fiscal year 2024, the USDA gave UMS about $30 million in funding. The frozen grants impact research to understand contamination on Maine farms as well as money for youth programs, fishermen and foresters.

According to the USDA order, “The pause will remain in effect until further notice,” or until all actions related to possible violations are evaluated.

How is UMS responding?

The school system said Tuesday, March 11, that it had provided responses to the USDA confirming its athletic programs complied with state and federal law.

School officials also said they complied with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s policy barring varsity athletes assigned male at birth from competing in women’s sports.

Tags: college students, Donald Trump, Government funding, Maine, Transgender, Transgender athletes, Universities, USDA

[Kennedy]

THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM, A NETWORK OF EIGHT PUBLIC COLLEGES IN THE STATE – SAYS THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS TEMPORARILY PAUSED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING – PENDING A REVIEW OF COMPLIANCE WITH A NEW ORDER AIMED AT BANNING TRANSGENDER ATHLETES.

THE FREEZE COMES AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD A TENSE EXCHANGE WITH MAINE’S DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, JANET MILLS AT THE WHITE HOUSE LAST MONTH.

Is Maine here? the governor of Maine?

(Gov. Janet Mills, off camera: I’m here)

Are you not going to comply with it?

(Gov. Janet Mills, off camera: I’m complying with state and federal laws)

Well, we are the federal law. Well, you better do it. You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t. And by the way, your population, even though it’s somewhat liberal, although I did very well there, you population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports.”

“I’ll follow the law.”

“So you better you better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding.”

“I’ll see you in court.”

“Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one.”

THE DAY AFTER THE ARGUMENT, THE U-S-D-A LAUNCHED A COMPLIANCE REVIEW ACCUSING THE MAINE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF DISREGARDING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ORDER TO KEEP TRANSGENDER ATHLETES OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS – WHICH HE REAFFIRMED IN HIS MARCH 4TH ADDRESS TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS.

our country will be woke no longer.

we also signed an executive order to ban men from playing in women’s sports.

IN 20-24, THE U-S-D-A GAVE THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM ABOUT 30 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING, WITH FROZEN GRANTS IMPACTING RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND CONTAMINATION ON MAINE FARMS AS WELL AS MONEY FOR YOUTH PROGRAMS, FISHERMEN AND FORESTERS.

ACCORDING TO THE U-S-D-A ORDER, “THE PAUSE WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” UNTIL ALL ACTIONS RELATED TO POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS ARE EVALUATED.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAID TUESDAY THAT IT HAD PROVIDED RESPONSES TO THE U-S-D-A CONFIRMING ITS ATHLETIC PROGRAMS WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION’S POLICY BARRING VARSITY ATHLETES ASSIGNED MALE AT BIRTH FROM COMPETING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.

FOR SAN, I’M KENNEDY FELTON.

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