In a bold move to enforce federal Title IX protections, the Trump administration officially froze portions of Maine’s federal education funding Wednesday, citing the state’s refusal to comply with President Donald Trump’s February executive order banning biological males from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who oversees school nutrition and education-related funding via the USDA, delivered the blow in a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire. She wrote that Maine “cannot openly violate federal law against discrimination in education and expect federal funding to continue unabated.”

Rollins stated that the administration was immediately pausing funding for “certain administrative and technological functions in schools,” while affirming that programs like school lunches would remain untouched. “If a child was fed today, they will be fed tomorrow,” she said.

But the secretary made it clear this was just the first step.

“Today, I am freezing Maine’s federal funds… This is only the beginning, though you are free to end it at any time by protecting women and girls in compliance with federal law,” Rollins warned. “The USDA, alongside other federal agencies, will continue to pause and, where appropriate, terminate categories of education programming in Maine if these Title IX violations are not resolved to the satisfaction of the Federal Government.”

In a sharp rebuke of the Biden-era Department of Education, Rollins also announced a full audit of grants awarded during the previous administration, citing concerns that many “appear to be wasteful, redundant, or otherwise against the priorities of the Trump Administration.” She added that the USDA will no longer extend “Biden’s bloated bureaucracy” and will instead build a department that is “farmer-first and without a leftist social agenda.”

The decision follows months of tension between the Trump White House and Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills. The administration had issued multiple warnings over Maine’s defiance, culminating in a confrontation at a February governors’ event where Trump publicly blasted Mills for ignoring the executive order.

Wednesday’s freeze could cost the state hundreds of millions in future federal support if the conflict escalates.

Rep. Laurel Libby (R-ME), a vocal opponent of the state’s current policy and a recent target of censure by Maine Democrats for criticizing trans inclusion in girls’ sports, issued a statement backing the Trump administration’s move.

“Governor Janet Mills and Maine Democrats have chosen to dig their heels in and embrace radical left-wing ideology over the safety and rights of Maine women and girls,” Libby said. “Despite repeated warnings from President Trump, Maine Democrats continued to defy federal law… I continue to stand firmly with Maine girls and President Trump in the pursuit of sanity and fairness.”

Libby is also suing Maine House Democrats over their censure vote against her last month. Speaker Ryan Fecteau deleted his X account shortly afterward amid mounting backlash.

Rollins’ letter emphasized that Maine’s access to federal funds is contingent on compliance with constitutional and statutory law, specifically citing Title IX’s guarantee that girls not be forced to compete “with or against or appear unclothed before males.” The administration reiterated that it has no intention of backing down.

As more federal departments begin reviewing Maine’s eligibility for grants and educational support, the Trump administration’s action signals a dramatic shift from symbolic protests to real-world financial pressure. For Maine Democrats, the cost of defiance is now being measured in lost dollars and dwindling public patience.