In a tense standoff between federal authorities and Maine’s state leadership, the Trump administration took drastic steps on Friday, signaling its intent to revoke all federal education funding for the state’s public schools. The move comes after Maine officials steadfastly refused to comply with federal demands to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports teams.
The U.S. Department of Education’s threat follows an earlier confrontation between President Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills. In a heated exchange during a February meeting with governors, Trump issued a stark warning: comply with his executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, or face the consequences.
Despite the pressure, Governor Mills has remained firm in her stance. “We’re going to follow the law, sir. We’ll see you in court,” Mills responded at the time, indicating that Maine would continue to uphold its commitment to gender identity protections, even in the face of federal opposition.
The Education Department’s announcement marks the latest escalation. The federal agency has started the process of terminating Maine’s $250 million in K-12 education funding. In addition, it is referring the case to the Department of Justice for further investigation, citing potential violations of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs.
This clash between Maine and the Trump administration over transgender athlete participation began to heat up after the state’s education department was accused of violating Title IX by permitting transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. The Trump administration’s Office for Civil Rights claimed that this was a breach of federal anti-discrimination law.
But Maine officials remain defiant. The state’s legal team insists that Title IX does not ban transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sports, noting that Maine’s 2021 law prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. In a pointed letter to the Education Department, Assistant Attorney General Sarah Forster emphasized that the state’s legal framework does not conflict with federal guidelines.
The Education Department’s actions coincided with a separate legal battle over the state’s federal nutrition funding. Earlier this week, Maine filed a lawsuit to prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture from cutting off crucial school lunch funding, following the same dispute over transgender athlete inclusion. However, on Friday, U.S. District Judge John Woodcock Jr. issued a temporary restraining order halting the USDA’s action, offering Maine a temporary reprieve from losing its nutrition program funding.
As tensions continue to rise, Maine stands resolute in its commitment to inclusivity, even as the Trump administration takes increasingly aggressive steps to challenge the state’s policies.
