The Trump administration has agreed to restore federal funding for education programs in Maine, ending a freeze sparked by the president’s opposition to the state’s policies on transgender athletes.
The agreement settles a lawsuit filed last month by Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey against the U.S. Agricultural Department, after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins froze funds for nutrition programs. The dispute between Trump and the state arose over trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
“It’s unfortunate that my office had to resort to federal court just to get USDA to comply with the law and its own regulations,” Frey said in a statement. “But we are pleased that the lawsuit has now been resolved and that Maine will continue to receive funds as directed by Congress to feed children and vulnerable adults.”
The Trump administration had made repeated threats to strip Maine of funding over state officials’ refusal to comply with its push to bar trans athletes from participation in women’s sports under Title IX, which is meant to prevent sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. In February, the president and Maine Gov. Janet Mills clashed publicly at the White House when Trump told her that she had “better comply” or risk losing federal funds for her state.
“I’ll see you in court,” Mills responded.
Neither side appeared willing to back down. In mid-April, a federal judge presiding over Maine’s lawsuit against the USDA ordered the Trump administration to temporarily unfreeze funds for the state’s education programs. At a news conference on Friday, Mills, a moderate Democrat, celebrated the administration backing down. “I told him I’d see him in court,” she said. “Well, we did see him in court, and we won.”
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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