Federal Funding Cut to University of Pennsylvania Amid Transgender Athlete Policy Dispute
In a significant move, the White House has decided to halt $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania. This action is linked to the university’s stance on policies regarding transgender athletes. The announcement was made public via a Fox Business clip on social media, attributed to an unidentified White House official.
The video declared, “President Trump has promised to protect female athletes,” and emphasized that the administration would withdraw federal support from institutions that allow “biological males” to compete in women’s sports, in line with the president’s executive order.
Details of the Executive Order
Last month, Trump enacted an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which aims to restrict federal funding to educational institutions that permit transgender women and girls to participate in female sports events. The University of Pennsylvania, Trump’s alma mater, has been directly impacted by this order, resulting in the significant freezing of funds.
The university received over $1 billion in federal funds in the fiscal year 2024, as reported by The Daily Pennsylvanian. The halted $175 million constitutes about 17.5% of these funds.
Response and Background
Despite inquiries from NPR, the Department of Education redirected questions to the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, which, along with the White House, have not provided comments on the funding freeze.
This decision aligns with Trump’s long-standing promise to protect women’s sports and comes after years of campaigning against transgender individuals’ participation in both sports and the military. The University of Pennsylvania was thrust into this ongoing debate in 2022 when Lia Thomas, a transgender student, won several events in the Ivy League swimming championships.
Thomas had previously competed in the men’s league before transitioning medically, further fueling discussions on fairness and policy in sports.
University’s Official Response
Following the social media announcement from the White House, the University of Pennsylvania’s communication office released a statement indicating that they had not received any official notification regarding the suspension of funds. The statement emphasized that Penn adheres to NCAA and Ivy League regulations concerning athlete participation, and continues to comply with applicable regulations.
“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,” the statement read. “It is important to note, however, that Penn has always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams,” it concluded.
