The legal battles keep piling on the SCOTUS’ footsteps. This one has massive consequences.
And even the U.S. Supreme Court was stunned by this surprise lawsuit brought against President Trump.
Trump Administration Sued By Maine Over Common-Sense Order Designed To Protect Women & Girls
On Monday, the state of Maine filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins after the USDA revoked funding due to Maine’s refusal to comply with a Trump administration directive banning biological males from competing in women’s sports. This clash emphasizes the administration’s commitment to fairness and safety for female athletes—a position that aligns with the values of countless Americans who believe in preserving women’s spaces in athletics.
The lawsuit, initiated by Maine’s Democratic leadership, claims the USDA’s funding freeze is “blatantly unlawful” and violates the Administrative Procedure Act by “freezing federal funds allocated to Maine to feed schoolchildren.” The funding cut came on April 2, following a heated public dispute between Maine Governor Janet Mills and President Donald Trump. During the exchange, Mills openly rejected the administration’s policy to protect women’s sports by prohibiting biological males from competing in female categories.
“The Secretary claimed that she was taking this action because the State of Maine is allegedly violating Title IX of the Civil Rights Law of 1964 by permitting transgender girls and women to participate in girls’ and women’s school sports,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary provided no legal basis for her interpretation of Title IX, and her interpretation is wrong. Indeed, several federal courts have held that Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause require schools to permit transgender girls and women to play on girls’ and women’s teams.”
However, the USDA clarified that the funding pause affects only “certain administrative and technological functions in schools” and does “not impact federal feeding programs or direct assistance.” In a letter to Governor Mills, the USDA issued a clear warning: “This is only the beginning, though you are free to end it at any time by protecting women and girls in compliance with federal law.”
The Trump administration’s actions are rooted in a broader effort to uphold Title IX, a landmark law designed to protect women from discrimination in education and athletics. On February 22, the USDA launched an investigation into Maine’s education department, prompted by Mills’ refusal to comply with federal guidelines. The U.S. Department of Education followed suit on March 19, concluding that Maine’s policies “are in violation of Title IX.” The USDA’s subsequent decision to freeze funding for specific Maine educational programs sent a powerful message: the administration will not tolerate policies that undermine fairness for female athletes.
Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, emphasized the administration’s resolve. “The outcome of [the Office of Civil Rights’] investigation of [the Maine Department of Education] confirms that it has violated federal antidiscrimination law by allowing boys to compete in girls’ sports and boys to occupy girls’ intimate facilities,” Trainor said. “Today’s findings and proposed resolution agreement demonstrate to MDOE and any other entity receiving federal funding that the Trump Administration will not tolerate unlawful discrimination against girls and women. If Maine does not swiftly and completely come into compliance with Title IX, we will initiate the process to limit MDOE’s access to federal funding.”
The USDA also briefly paused funding to the University of Maine System on March 10 but lifted the restriction after confirming the system’s compliance with federal law on March 19. This demonstrates the administration’s willingness to work with institutions that align with its commitment to protecting women’s sports.
President Trump’s leadership on this issue began early in his term with an executive order signed on February 5, banning biological males from competing in women’s sports and calling on the NCAA to restore female records unfairly taken by male competitors. This policy responds to growing concerns about the safety and fairness of women’s athletics.
Trump: "No amount of surgery or chemical treatment can change the fact that if you're born with male DNA in every cell, you cannot become a woman." pic.twitter.com/A4slr3PwSe
— 𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐇 (@pr0ud_americans) March 26, 2025
For example, 19-year-old Payton McNabb suffered a traumatic brain injury after a biological male, identifying as a transgender female, spiked a volleyball into her head during a match. Stories like McNabb’s have fueled public support for the administration’s stance, as Americans increasingly demand protections for female athletes.
The Trump administration’s approach stands in stark contrast to the policies of the previous Biden administration, which sought to reinterpret Title IX to include protections for transgender individuals. Biden’s efforts faced widespread criticism from Republican-led states and were ultimately abandoned after numerous legal challenges. Under Biden, the USDA even attempted to leverage school lunch funding to coerce states into compliance—a tactic that drew fierce opposition and legal pushback.
Polls consistently show that most Americans support the Trump administration’s position on preserving women’s sports for biological females. The administration’s actions in Maine and beyond send a clear signal: fairness and safety for women and girls are non-negotiable. As the legal battle with Maine unfolds, the Trump administration remains steadfast in its mission to uphold Title IX and ensure that female athletes have the opportunities they deserve. For the millions of Americans who share this view, the administration’s resolve is a refreshing and necessary step toward justice. It’s unfortunate that radicals in Maine find it necessary to fight the will of the American people on this issue and drag Trump and Co. into the court room.
The Conservative Column will update you on any major updates to this legal battle.
