BREAKING: Trump admin freezes $175 million in federal funding for UPenn over protecting women’s sports
$175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania has been paused by the Trump administration over its allowance of biological males in women’s sports, despite President Donald Trump’s executive order banning such instances.
A senior administration official revealed the funding pause to Fox Business. The pause is not a direct result of the Title IX investigation launched by the Department of Education into the school after Trump signed the executive order.
“Promises made, promises kept,” the Trump White House rapid response account wrote on X.
Fox reported that this was a “proactive punishment” from the administration and that the funding pause affects discretionary spending given by the federal government.
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) in February launched an investigation into the University of Pennsylvania, as well as San Jose State University, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, over the inclusion of biological males in women’s sports.
The DOE said in a statement at the time, “Pursuant to President Trump’s Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports Executive Order yesterday, the US Department of Education today announced investigations into two educational institutions and an athletic association where violations of Title IX have been reported. President Trump’s Executive Order ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports’ is a promise to women and girls: this administration will not tolerate the mistreatment of female athletes.” The executive order states that schools will risk their federal funding if they continue to allow biological males in women’s sports.
UPenn came under fire in 2022 after biological male swimmer Lia Thomas began competing against female athletes, breaking records and taking home trophies. The school faced backlash from female athletes over Thomas’ inclusion, with numerous lawsuits being launched.
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