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Federal Funding Suspension for University of Pennsylvania Amid Transgender Athlete Controversy

The Trump administration has announced a suspension of approximately $175 million in federal funds to the University of Pennsylvania, attributed to the involvement of a transgender athlete in its swimming team. The White House confirmed this development on Wednesday.

The Ivy League institution is currently under investigation by the Education Department, which centers around its swimming program. This inquiry was initiated shortly after President Donald Trump enacted an executive order aimed at prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.

Despite this investigation, the suspended federal funds originate from a separate discretionary funding evaluation conducted by the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the administration.

A spokesperson for the University of Pennsylvania stated that the institution had not yet been formally informed about the funding suspension or its specifics. “It is important to note, however, that Penn has always followed NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams,” said Ron Ozio, the spokesperson.

Ozio emphasized, “We have been in the past, and remain today, in full compliance with the regulations that apply to not only Penn, but all of our NCAA and Ivy League peer institutions.”

The investigation being conducted by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights is particularly focused on Lia Thomas, a student who represented the women’s team and made history in 2022 as the first openly transgender athlete to secure a Division I title.

In addition to the situation at Penn, similar reviews have been opened concerning the volleyball program at San Jose State University and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.

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