Trump admin suspends $175 million in UPenn funding over men competing in women’s sports: VIDEO
‘This is just a taste of what could be coming down the pipe for Penn,’ an administration official said.
Riley Gaines, who competed against University of Pennsylvania male swimmer Lia Thomas, expressed approval of the decision and called it ‘Serendipitous.’
President Donald Trump’s administration has frozen $175 million of taxpayer dollars from funding the University of Pennsylvania due to the school’s decision to continue allowing men to compete against female athletes.
The development was first announced by Fox Business on Wednesday.
A University spokesperson told Campus Reform: “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.”
[RELATED: Ex-UPenn swimmers file Title IX lawsuit for having to compete with male teammate]
An administration official told Fox Business: “This is just a taste of what could be coming down the pipe for Penn.”
Another official told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the administration decided on this course of action because the university “infamously permitted a male to compete on its women’s swimming team,” seemingly referring to Lia Thomas, a male swimmer who caused widespread controversy when competing for the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 and who defeated his female opponents.
Women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines, who competed against Thomas, praised the funding freeze to the University of Pennsylvania, writing: “Three years ago to the day I raced and tied a man at the DI NCAA Championships in the 200 freestyle. Today, the Trump administration paused $175M in federal funding to [the] University [of] Pennsylvania for this reason. Serendipitous.”
The issue of men competing in women’s sports has caused controversy in more than just the University of Pennsylvania.
President Trump’s move against the University of Pennsylvania comes after the administration announced it would stop funding for the University of Maine System after Maine Gov. Janet Mills openly defied the president’s executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
In 2024, male volleyball player Blaire Fleming provoked controversy when he joined San Jose State University’s female volleyball team, causing strong discomfort among both his female colleagues and his female competitors on other teams.
