Judge Orders Trump Admin to Unfreeze Maine School Funds/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release frozen funds tied to a Maine school nutrition program. The funds were withheld over a dispute involving transgender athlete participation and Title IX compliance. The ruling comes amid a broader legal battle between the state and federal government on LGBTQ+ rights in education.
Trump-Maine Funding Dispute: Quick Looks
- Court Ruling: Judge orders federal nutrition funds to be unfrozen
- Root Issue: Dispute over transgender student participation in sports
- Legal Action: Maine filed suit after $1.8M in funding was blocked
- Political Backdrop: Trump warned Gov. Janet Mills to “comply” or lose funds
- State Response: Maine refuses to enforce transgender athlete ban
- Title IX Conflict: Feds claim Maine violated anti-discrimination law
- Temporary Relief: Judge’s order doesn’t resolve broader legal fight
Judge Orders Trump Admin to Unfreeze Maine School Funds
Deep Look
A federal judge has intervened in a growing legal and political dispute between the state of Maine and the Trump administration, ordering the release of federal child nutrition funds that had been frozen over disagreements surrounding transgender student rights.
Judge John Woodcock, of the U.S. District Court, granted a temporary restraining order on Friday requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to unfreeze the funds in question. The emergency ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, who accused the administration of weaponizing federal funding in a culture war over LGBTQ+ inclusion in public education.
At the center of the case is a Maine child nutrition program, which supports administrative and technological services for school meal distribution. The lawsuit asserts that over $1.8 million in current fiscal year funds and $900,000 in prior-year funds were frozen after a letter from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins accused Maine of noncompliance with Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education.
Maine’s Department of Education also anticipated receiving another $3 million in July for the state’s summer meal program, funds that were jeopardized by the federal freeze.
Conflict Tied to Transgender Athlete Policy
The funding freeze followed a high-profile February meeting between President Donald Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills at the White House. Trump confronted Mills over an upcoming executive order banning transgender girls from participating on girls’ sports teams. When asked if she would comply, Mills responded that Maine would follow state and federal law.
“You’d better comply,” Trump warned, adding, “Otherwise, you’re not getting any federal funding.”
Mills firmly responded, “Then I’ll see you in court.”
That courtroom showdown began with Friday’s court order, which temporarily restores access to crucial education funds while leaving the broader constitutional and legal questions unresolved.
Maine Refuses to Enforce Federal Trans Ban
Just hours before the judge’s decision, Maine officials announced the state would not enforce the Trump administration’s transgender athlete ban, despite a March finding by the U.S. Department of Education accusing the state of violating Title IX by allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports.
That federal finding intensified tensions, framing Maine’s inclusive stance as illegal under revised federal interpretations of Title IX advanced by the Trump administration.
But Judge Woodcock made it clear that his ruling was not an endorsement of either side’s legal position on the transgender sports ban. Instead, the order was narrowly focused on preventing harm to Maine’s school programs while the larger legal issues are litigated.
Political and Legal Ramifications
The case highlights the growing legal complexities surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in education and the increasing tendency of political disputes to spill over into federal funding mechanisms. Experts warn that if funding can be frozen over ideological disagreements, other states could face similar pressures in future disputes with the federal government.
Legal analysts also note that while Title IX has long been interpreted to protect students from sex-based discrimination, the Trump administration’s recent application of “sex” to exclude gender identity marks a significant shift from prior federal guidance under past administrations.
The case is also seen as a test of how far the federal government can go in enforcing ideologically driven executive orders through financial leverage—particularly in areas where state laws differ.
Next Steps
The court’s temporary restraining order ensures that Maine schools can access critical funding in the short term, but the underlying legal battle remains unresolved. The Trump administration may appeal the order or attempt to reassert its authority through revised rulemaking or further executive action.
For now, Maine’s child nutrition program is back on track—but with a legal storm still brewing over how far states can go in resisting federal directives, especially in matters involving transgender rights and public education policy.
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