Trump Administration Halts $175M in Federal Funding to UPenn Over Transgender Athlete Policy

The funding freeze follows a February executive order banning transgender athletes in women’s sports and raises compliance questions for the Ivy League university.

The Trump administration has paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania, citing its inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports as non-compliance with a recent executive order.
The funding, from the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, constitutes about one-fifth of UPenn’s federal funding last year and is separate from an ongoing Title IX investigation.
UPenn has stated it has not received official notification of the funding pause and maintains it is in compliance with NCAA and Ivy League policies on athlete participation.
The February 2025 executive order bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, threatening funding cuts for institutions that do not comply.
This action has reignited national debates over fairness in women’s sports, transgender rights, and the use of federal funding as a tool for policy enforcement.