A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully froze federal school lunch funding to Maine over the state’s refusal to ban transgender women from participating in women’s sports. U.S. District Judge John Woodcock Jr. determined that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) failed to follow proper procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act, invalidating the funding freeze.
The dispute stems from a Trump executive order that restricts transgender women from competing in women’s sports at federally funded schools. On April 2, the USDA informed Maine that it would withhold certain funds, citing alleged Title IX violations tied to the state’s stance on transgender athletes.
These funds are critical to Maine’s hunger relief efforts, helping schools, childcare centers, and after-school programs provide free or subsidized meals to children and low-income families. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, who filed the lawsuit, said the ruling affirms that the federal government acted illegally by threatening vital food assistance programs over an unrelated political issue.
The USDA has not commented on the decision. Meanwhile, Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, has pushed back against the federal overreach, stating, “We’re going to follow the law, sir. We’ll see you in court,” in response to Trump’s threat during a February 21 meeting with state governors.
This legal battle underscores growing tensions over transgender rights, state autonomy, and the use of federal funding as leverage. The court’s decision safeguards Maine’s school nutrition programs and sets a precedent against using federal aid to enforce controversial social policies.