The Trump administration’s pause, which the university says will jeopardize educational programs and farmers in the state, comes after the president publicly sparred with the Democratic governor.
Trump, Maine governor trade barbs over transgender athletes
President Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills clashed over Trump’s order banning transgender athletes from playing in women sports.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily paused millions of dollars in federal funding to the University of Maine system, the school said Tuesday, as the agency reviews its compliance with new orders aimed at banning transgender athletes.
The freeze comes after President Donald Trump publicly sparred with Maine’s Democratic governor in a tense exchange last month at the White House.
Speaking to the National Governors Association on Feb. 21, Trump singled out Gov. Janet Mills, warning her that the federal government would pull funding from Maine schools if they allowed trans athletes to play in sports.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills responded to Trump when he questioned whether she would comply with an executive order he signed attempting to bar trans women from school athletics.
The day after the argument, the USDA launched a compliance review of the University of Maine, accusing the system of “openly disregarding” the order.
An email sent on Monday from Chelsea D. Cole, a top USDA official, instructs agency employees to “temporarily no longer issue any payments or authorize any other releases of funding to Columbia University or the University of Maine System.”
In fiscal year 2024, the USDA awarded the University of Maine system roughly $30 million in funding, the school said. The grants likely frozen support research to understand contamination on Maine farms as well as money for youth programs, fishermen and foresters.
The decision comes after the Trump administration separately decided last Friday to pull $400 million in federal contracts and grants to Columbia University, a private Ivy League college in New York City. Republicans have repeatedly accused the school of being a hotbed of antisemitism because of protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war.
In a letter to campus, Columbia’s president, Katrina Armstrong, said the unprecedented cuts would pose dire consequences to the prestigious university’s teaching, research and major medical operations.
“There is no question that the cancellation of these funds will immediately impact research and other critical functions of the University, impacting students, faculty, staff, research, and patient care,” she wrote.
Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.