Overview

• The Trump administration has paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania, citing its inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports as non-compliance with a recent executive order.
• The funding, from the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, constitutes about one-fifth of UPenn’s federal funding last year and is separate from an ongoing Title IX investigation.
• UPenn has stated it has not received official notification of the funding pause and maintains it is in compliance with NCAA and Ivy League policies on athlete participation.
• The February 2025 executive order bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, threatening funding cuts for institutions that do not comply.
• This action has reignited national debates over fairness in women’s sports, transgender rights, and the use of federal funding as a tool for policy enforcement.