Overview

• The Trump administration has paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania, citing the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
• The funding, tied to the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, represents nearly one-fifth of UPenn’s federal funding in 2024.
• This action is separate from the ongoing Title IX investigation into UPenn and other institutions, launched after Trump’s February 5 executive order on transgender athlete participation.
• UPenn has stated it has not received formal notification of the funding pause and asserts compliance with NCAA and Ivy League policies.
• The case has reignited national debate over fairness in women’s sports, with figures like Riley Gaines supporting the administration’s decision and advocacy groups denouncing it as discriminatory.