The Trump administration paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania over its inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports, FOX Business exclusively reported on Wednesday morning.
The Ivy League university now stands to risk losing all of its federal funding amid an investigation into potential Title IX violations.
Riley Gaines, now a spokeswoman for the Independent Women’s Forum, famously tied Lia Thomas, left, for fifth place in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)
A senior administration official told FOX Business that the administration has paused $175 million in federal funding. This did not account for UPenn’s total federal funding, which the university previously reported last year was around $1 billion.
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The pause is not a direct result of the investigation into UPenn, which the Department of Education announced a day after the president signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on Feb. 5.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a university spokesperson said UPenn has not received any “official notification” of the funding pause, and added that the university was and is in “full compliance” with NCAA and Ivy League policies.
“We are aware of media reports suggesting a suspension of $175 million in federal funding to Penn, but have not yet received any official notification or any details. It is important to note, however, that Penn has always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams. We have been in the past, and remain today, in full compliance with the regulations that apply to not only Penn, but all of our NCAA and Ivy League peer institutions.”
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a statement provided by the Education Department last month that three institutions would be investigated for suspected Title IX violations.
In addition to UPenn, San Jose State University, which made headlines in the fall after several schools refused to play the women’s volleyball team because of a trans athlete on the roster, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association are also being investigated for suspected violations.
Blaire Fleming, #3 of the San Jose State Spartans, looks on during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on Oct. 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
UPenn first made headlines during the 2022 season when Lia Thomas, a transgender student athlete, was put on the women’s team and would eventually go on to win a national championship title in the women’s 500-yard freestyle.
Thomas would also tie with former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle that year, although it would be Thomas that solely received the trophy during the awards ceremony.
Thomas’ participation sparked a national debate surrounding girls’ and women’s sports, which, under the Trump administration, has seen several states at odds with federal law.
Texas swimmers Erica Sullivan and Evie Pfeifer embrace as 500 Freestyle winner Lia Thomas walks past during the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture paused funding to the University of Maine System, a network of eight public colleges in the state, but days later, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ office said the funding freeze had been reversed.
Additionally, this week, Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., called on the Trump administration to pull federal funding from an Illinois school district after one mother accused her 13-year-old daughter’s school of forcing girls to change in front of another trans student in the girl’s locker room.
FOX Business’ Hillary Voughn contributed to this report.
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