The Trump administration has yanked $175 million in federal funding from the University of Pennsylvania after the school violated Title IX laws regarding fairness in women’s sports in order to allow transgender athlete Lia Thomas — a biological male — to compete in women’s swimming contests. 

The action follows President Trump’s executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” signed in February. The administration is taking the stance that institutions defying the  directive will feel a financial sting for their recalcitrance. 

“Promises made, promises kept,” the White House’s rapid response account posted on X on Wednesday in response to the news.

UPenn, which rakes in $1 billion in federal funds annually, is now staring down a widened investigation from the Department of Education for Title IX violations. The $175 million freeze, affecting funding from the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, may just be the tip of the iceberg for the Ivy League giant.

A senior Trump administration official explained the action. “This is about standing up for fairness and the integrity of women’s sports,” the official told Fox Business. 

The administration said the funding pause isn’t the result of civil lawsuits that have been filed over the issue — those are still ongoing. Instead, it is a sharp, preemptive blow aimed at forcing compliance and sending a big message to any other institutions watching from the sidelines, the administration says.

The controversy centers on Lia Thomas, who made waves in 2022 by winning the NCAA women’s 500-yard freestyle championship. While the swimmer basked in the glory of a gold medal, critics argued that the win was achieved at women’s expense because the winner was born a biological male and began competing against women while attending the university. 

Lia Thomas went on to tie for fifth place with University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines in the 200-yard freestyle — a moment Ms. Gaines still speaks about with frustration. Ms. Gaines has since become a leading voice against trans athlete inclusion in women’s sports. 

Commenting on Mr. Trump’s latest move, Ms. Gaines told Outkick: “The Trump administration has yet again taken swift action to uphold common sense and preserve women’s opportunities. This sends a strong message that undermining women’s sports won’t be tolerated.” 

Mr. Trump’s hardline stance isn’t limited to UPenn. San Jose State University, which allowed a transgender volleyball player onto its women’s team, is also on the Department of Education’s radar. Even Maine has made its way into the mess, with the administration threatening to slash $250 million in federal funding for its public colleges over the state’s transgender athlete policies. 

Mr. Trump isn’t pulling any punches, either. “You better comply!” he warned the Democratic governor of Maine, Janet Mills, at a recent summit. The governor shot back, “See you in court!” 

It’s not just the Trump administration coming down against Lia Thomas’ continued participation in women’s swimming. World Aquatics, the governing body for international swimming, has barred the swimmer from competing in the women’s division, instead introducing an “open” category for transgender athletes instead. 

Lia Thomas initially fought the ban in court but lost, with World Aquatics calling the ruling “a major step forward in our efforts to protect women’s sports.”