‘You will be investigated’: Trump threatens federal funding for schools that oppose new transgender ban

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” The order gives federal agencies broad authority to stop federal funding to schools unless they abide by the administration’s previous executive order stating the U.S. government will only recognize “two genders, male and female.”

Specifically, the executive order states, “In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.”

“Under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 (Title IX), educational institutions receiving Federal funds cannot deny women an equal opportunity to participate in sports,” the order continues, adding that some federal courts have already recognized “ignoring fundamental biological truths between the two sexes deprives women and girls of meaningful access to educational facilities.”  

“Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

In a public spectacle in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday afternoon, Trump timed the signing of his latest anti-trans executive order to coincide with National Girls and Women in Sport Day. At the same time, he signed the order surrounded by young female athletes in uniform. Among the athletes in the room at the signing ceremony was Riley Gaines, the 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer known for campaigning against the inclusion of trans women in women’s sports.

“From now on, women’s sports will be only for women,” the 47th U.S. president said in his speech, along with the signing (as reported by METRO News).

“With my action this afternoon, we’re putting every school receiving taxpayer dollars on notice that if you let men take over women’s sports teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and risk your federal funding.”

“The radical left has waged an all-out campaign to erase the very concept of biological sex and replace it with a militant transgender ideology. With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the anti-trans order “upholds the promise of Title IX” and will require “immediate action, including enforcement actions, against schools and athletic associations.”

Following Trump’s executive order, the NCAA has adjusted its policy on trans athletes. On Thursday, Feb. 6, the collegiate athletics governing body issued its new “Participation Policy for Transgender Student-Athletes.” According to the new rules, athletes can continue participating on NCAA Men’s Teams “regardless of sex assigned at birth or gender identity,” assuming they meet all other NCAA eligibility requirements. In contrast, on the NCAA Women’s Teams, “a student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team,” and “a student-athlete assigned female at birth who has begun hormone therapy (e.g., testosterone) may not compete on a women’s team.”