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Pennsylvania Democrat state senator Lindsey Williams gave controversial testimony at the state capitol on Wednesday while opposing a bill that would ban trans athletes from girls sports.

Williams, in prepared remarks ahead of the committee vote on the Save Women's Sports Act, suggested that female athletes are physically comparable to male athletes, and don't face biological disadvantages. 

"I want all girls to know that there are elected officials like me who believe female bodies are just as strong and fast and capable as male bodies," Williams said.

"I want all girls to know there are elected officials like me who would never underestimate your ability to beat a boy at their own sport, because that's what the premise of this bill assumes, that female bodies are less than male bodies, that girls are at an automatic disadvantage, and can't possibly compete against boys. Even though girls do it every day. "

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Williams also went on to suggest that the issue of biological males participating in girls and women's sports is a "made-up issue."

"For what reason, other than political gain, are we spending time and taxpayer dollars on a completely made-up issue?" she said. 

Williams' argument that females are physically "just as capable" as males has been disputed by experts. 

Dr. Debra Soh, author of "The End of Gender," previously discussed the biological differences in an interview with "Fox News Primetime" in 2021.

MAINE GIRL INVOLVED IN TRANS ATHLETE BATTLE REVEALS HOW STATE'S POLICIES HURT HER CHILDHOOD AND SPORTS CAREER

"Individuals who are born male are on average larger, stronger and faster than individuals born female. And even those trans individuals who are on hormone therapy — so they are suppressing testosterone or on estrogen therapy — this does not override that structural foundation. It also does not change muscle mass or muscle strength after a year being on hormones, typically the guideline used for many sports. But I would argue it does not override the advantages that someone has from being born male," Soh said.

"It's not fair. And it's absolutely heartbreaking when you listen to the girls and women who are competing against these individuals. They know before the competition starts what the outcome is going to be. They know they don't have a fair chance. It doesn't matter how hard they train. They know they are not going to be able to reach that level — and even if you look at the average non-athlete male, depending on the sport, a non-transgender male, he will dominate even over elite female competitors."

The United Nations released study findings saying that nearly 900 biological females have fallen short of victories because they have been defeated by transgender athletes. The study, "Violence against women and girls in sports," said more than 600 athletes did not medal in more than 400 competitions in 29 different sports, totaling over 890 medals.

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. 

Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-TX, added people who care about keeping trans athletes out of women's and girls' sports to her list of targets for disparagement. 

In an interview with The 19th last week, Crockett dismissed the topic of trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports as a "distraction," while minimizing the potential impact they've had on the lives of women and families. Crockett made the comments while criticizing Democrats for becoming divided on the issue. 

"In this election, we allowed ourselves to be divided. We allowed them to distract us, and we allowed them to talk about the trans folk," Crockett said. "According to them, the trans kids, they want to play sports. That is the biggest issue that we’ve had. Since when? Since when? Find the little trans child that is ruining your life. I mean, I’m just like, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing?"

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Former high school girls' volleyball player Payton McNabb saw her life irreversibly changed when a trans athlete spiked a ball in her face when she was just 19 years old. McNabb's injuries included a concussion, brain bleed and permanent whiplash, and it ultimately ended her athletic career.

Former San Jose State University volleyball players Elle Patterson and Alyssa Sugai have joined a lawsuit against the school and Mountain West Conference, alleging the presence of a trans athlete on their former team cost them an opportunity to earn a scholarship for the team. Both Patterson and Sugai claim the lack of a fair chance to earn a scholarship impacted them both mentally and financially.

The United Nations released study findings saying that nearly 900 biological females have fallen short of victories because they have been defeated by transgender athletes. The study, "Violence against women and girls in sports," said more than 600 athletes did not medal in more than 400 competitions in 29 different sports, totaling over 890 medals, according to information obtained up to March 30.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

Meanwhile, Crockett is also facing a potential censure over recent comments about Texas Governor Greb Abbot.

GOP lawmaker is moving to have Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, formally rebuked by the House of Representatives for appearing to mock Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's disability. Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, Crockett's fellow delegation member, told Fox News Digital he would introduce a censure resolution after Crockett referred to the wheelchair-bound Abbot as "Governor Hot Wheels" during an event held by the Human Rights Campaign over the weekend. 

This week, Crockett has also said that her birthday wish is for Elon Musk to be "taken down" and that Democrats need to be OK with "punching" while referring to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX.

"It's Ted Cruz. I mean, this dude has to be knocked over the head, like hard, right? Like there is no niceties with him. Like at all. Like you go clean off on him," Crockett said.

Crockett previously incited backlash on the topic of trans athletes in women's sports for claiming that President Donald Trump's executive order to keep trans athletes out of women's and girls' sports didn't "protect women" in an X post on Feb. 5. 

"On National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Trump is:  - banning trans kids from playing sports - trying to cut Title IX women’s and girls’ athletics grants -removing references to women, female and equality on government websites," Crockett wrote. "LET ME BE CLEAR This. Doesn't. Protect. Women."

Now, Crockett's dismissal of the topic as a "distraction" to Democrats comes as the party's ongoing stance in supporting trans inclusion defies the stance of most of their voters and may have impacted their results in the November election. 

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. 

Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.

A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America (CWA) legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them. 

And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."

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The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title IX investigation into Portland Public Schools for allowing a trans-identifying male athlete to compete in women's sports, OutKick has learned. 

As OutKick previously reported, "Ada" Gallagher is a biological male who won a high school state championship in track & field last year. Gallagher has continued to compete in the girls' division, despite President Donald Trump signing an executive order to prevent males from competing in girls' and women's sports.

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The Department sent a letter to Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent of Portland Public Schools (the District), informing her that the investigation is now open. 

"These allegations include allowing a male track student athlete to compete in a girls’ interscholastic track and field competition on March 19, 2025, and permitting the male athlete to use the girls’ locker room while female athletes were changing," the OCR said in a press release.

"OCR also sent a letter notifying the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the governing body for the Portland Interscholastic League, that it was opening a directed investigation into its "gender identity participation" policy, which appears to violate Title IX." 

Last week, the Oregon Department of Education released new guidelines around sex-based sports participation. 

"Nonbinary, intersex, genderfluid, Two Spirit, and other students who do not consistently identify with the gender binary cannot be prohibited from playing on athletic teams of either gender, in alignment with Oregon nondiscrimination law," the guidelines state. 

MAINE GOV. JANET MILLS RESPONDS TO TRUMP'S DEMAND FOR APOLOGY OVER TRANS-ATHLETE POLICIES

There's also a section relating to required uniforms, where schools are forced to "develop any athletic uniform policies with consideration of the needs of gender expansive students." 

OutKick recently spoke to an Oregon female high school athlete, who said she wanted to see the federal government get involved to stop trans athletes from stealing wins, awards and spots on girls' teams from females. 

"It's just frustrating that nothing has changed. But I would very much, and I know other women would [as well], appreciate seeing Oregon being investigated for this, because I feel like it's so obvious that this is happening, and it is so obvious that it is wrong," Lilian Hammond told OutKick. 

Well, Hammond is getting her wish, as the Department of Education – which has already opened investigations in several other states, including Maine, California, Minnesota and Washington – is now investigating Oregon. 

"I am very happy that this is getting the attention that it deserves," Hammond said in a text message to OutKick after learning about the investigation.

"We will not allow the Portland Public Schools District or any other educational entity that receives federal funds to trample on the antidiscrimination protections that women and girls are guaranteed under law," said Craig Trainor, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. 

"President Trump and Secretary McMahon have been steadfast in their commitment to protect the rights of women and girls. OCR will use every lawful means to ensure that no female athlete is denied equal athletic opportunities or robbed of her rightful accolades."

OutKick reached out to Kimberlee Armstrong and OSAA about the investigation. Neither responded to our request for comment. 

However, Armstrong did provide comment to a left-wing media outlet. 

"I stand firm in our legal responsibilities, and I deeply value every student’s right to be treated with dignity, safety, and respect," Armstrong said in a statement to The Oregonian. 

"PPS is in full compliance with Oregon state law, which may differ from federal guidance. We are actively working with our legal and state partners to navigate this complex legal landscape. While I am limited in what I can share at this time due to the sensitive nature of the matter and our duty to protect student privacy, I want to be clear: my commitment—and our district’s commitment—to doing what’s right for all students, especially those most vulnerable, remains unwavering."

While Oregon, like Maine, has argued that their state law permits athletes to compete with and against athletes who match their gender identity – rather than their biological sex – the OCR has repeatedly made it clear that federal mandates supersede state law. 

News of the OCR investigation came on the same day that World Athletics, the global governing body for Track & Field, announced it will perform biological sex tests on female athletes to keep males out of the women's category.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that the University of Maine System (UMS) has agreed to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports. 

UMS, a network of eight public universities in Maine, claims it has been compliant with the NCAA's revised gender policy to keep trans athletes out of the women's category since the NCAA's revision was made on Feb. 6, and has always followed state and federal law. UMS was subject to a temporary pause in funding from the USDA last week during an ongoing battle between the state and the federal government over trans inclusion in women's and girls sports. The funding was reinstated just days later. 

The USDA now claims the UMS is in full compliance with Trump's executive order. 

TRUMP ADMIN RESPONDS TO MAINE'S RELUCTANCE TO BAN TRANS ATHLETES FROM GIRLS SPORTS

"After the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated a Title IX compliance review regarding federal funding, the University of Maine System (UMaine) has clearly communicated its compliance with Title IX’s requirement to protect equal opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports, as articulated in President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order," the USDA said in its announcement. 

"Any false claim by the UMaine can, and will, result in onerous and even potentially criminal financial liability." 

UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy provided a statement to Fox News Digital, saying the system is "relieved" to have come to an understanding with the USDA. 

"The University of Maine System has always maintained its compliance with state and federal laws and with NCAA rules, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture also affirmed in a press release today," said Chancellor Malloy. 

"We are relieved to put the Department’s Title IX compliance review behind us so the land-grant University of Maine and our statewide partners can continue to leverage USDA and other essential federal funds to strengthen and grow our natural resource economy and dependent rural communities through world-class education, research and extension."

MAINE RESPONDS TO TRUMP ADMIN'S DECLARATION STATE VIOLATED TITLE IX BY ALLOWING TRANSGENDERS IN GIRLS SPORTS

In fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA awarded $29.78 million in funding to UMS for research, the system said. The USDA claims it has provided over $100 million to the UMS in recent years in a letter addressed to the system. 

Trump initially vowed to cut funding to Maine specifically if it continued to allow trans athletes to compete in girls sports during a meeting of GOP governors at the White House Feb. 20.

The next day, Gov. Janet Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withheld federal funding from the state. Then Trump and Mills verbally sparred in a widely publicized argument at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors.

Just hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would investigate the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports and for potential Title IX violations. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already determined that the state and its Department of Education violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete and warned that it will make a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice if the state does not provide a written agreement to comply with Trump's executive order.

"What HHS is asking of the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) and Greely High School is simple — protect female athletes’ rights. Girls deserve girls-only sports without male competitors. And if Maine won’t come to the table to voluntarily comply with Title IX, HHS will enforce Title IX to the fullest extent permitted by the law," OCR acting Director Anthony Archeval said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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The same Oregon high school that came under fire last year for allowing a transgender athlete to compete against girls continues to blow away the competition one year later.

Ada Gallagher, running as a 10th-grader at McDaniel High School in Portland, finished in first place in 200M and 400M races during the 6A-1 Portland Interscholastic League Championship in 2024. 

Now an 11th-grader, Gallagher was back on the track for a Portland Interscholastic League meet at the athlete's home track, where Gallagher was spotted blowing out the competition, especially in the 400M, where the athlete finished more than seven seconds better than the rest of the field. 

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Gallagher finished at 57.62 in the 400M, with Franklin High School's Kinnaly Souphanthong coming in second at 1:05.72. Gallagher's teammate, Quinnan Schaefer, was behind Souphanthong at 1:07.13.

Then, in the 200M race, Gallagher finished in first place at 25.76, followed by teammate Addyson Skyles at 27.31.

Both times for Gallagher were season records.

As the video of the races began to circulate on social media, commenters began to speak their piece. 

"That experience must be so demoralizing for those girls," one X user said. "…You'll look back later and be much more infuriated, especially if you have children of your own." Another added, "The girls should all just start refusing to run and it will soon end."

The Oregon School Activities Association, the governing body for the Portland Interscholastic League, has a gender identity participation policy that "allows students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students."

"As with Rule 8.2 regarding Duration of Eligibility / Graduation, rules such as this one promote harmony and fair competition among member schools by maintaining equality of eligibility and increase the number of students who will have an opportunity to participate in interscholastic activities," the rulebook adds. 

President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14201, better known as "Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports," was signed to "protect female student athletes, in the women’s category, from having to ‘compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males.’" 

When Trump signed the order last month, Oregon Republicans were delighted, with House Minority Leader Christine Drazan saying the athlete would introduce a bill to rewrite policies in high school athletics. 

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"Women have fought for — and earned — respect and support for themselves in sports and have made incredible gains in doing so. We must defend that progress and stand up for fairness." Drazan said in a statement released on National Girls and Women’s in Sports Day, per Oregon Public Broadcasting.

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The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Boston-based expansion team announced Friday that it will be changing its name. The change comes after a wave of transgender backlash to a marketing campaign it abandoned back in October. 

The team was set to be named BOS Nation FC, which it announced in a branding event in the fall alongside a marketing campaign that featured the slogan "Too Many Balls." The slogan prompted intense backlash from the transgender community, including an NWSL player. 

A transgender player who goes by the singular name Quinn, who plays for the Seattle Reign, spoke out against the team's branding announcement in a post on Instagram. 

"Feels transphobic. Yikes," Quinn wrote. 

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The team quickly abandoned the slogan, issued a public apology for it, and even thanked those who spoke out against it. 

"We fully acknowledge that the content of the campaign did not reflect the safe and welcoming environment we strive to create for all, and we apologize to the LGBTQ+ community and to the trans community in particular for the hurt we caused," the statement said. 

"Thank you to all who have held us accountable by calling for us to do better. We hear you and we will, together," said another statement.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

Earlier this month, the club hired new chief revenue officer Amina Bulman, the former chief brand and strategy officer for the NFL's Washington Commanders since September 2020, when the team was in transition from its previous "Redskins" branding, 

Now the Boston-based women's soccer team is erasing all traces of the branding that came out of its October announcement by opting to change its proposed name as well. 

"The club extends our heartfelt thanks to our supporters, whose passionate voices we deeply value -- not just for their unwavering support but also for their honest and critical feedback," majority owner Jennifer Epstein said in a statement.

"We could not have completed this process without your input. We aim to build a lasting legacy that makes all our fans feel welcome, connected, and proud to wear our colors and cheer our name for generations to come."

The issue of trans inclusion in women's sports proved to be one of the most contentious political topics of last fall and the start of 2025, as multiple lawsuits and federal investigations have been prompted by situations involving trans athletes in the last six months alone. 

Data suggests the majority of Americans oppose trans inclusion in women's sports, and the issue even played into the 2024 election results. 

A New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports, as 79% of participants said that biological males who identify as women should not be allowed in women's sports. Of the participants who identified as Democrats, 67% said that transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. 

A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them. 

Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."

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Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) paused funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state, according to UMS officials.

On Wednesday night, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins' office said the funding freeze had been reversed, according to local outlets. A reason was not disclosed.

A spokesperson for Collins said the reversal came after Collins' office spoke with both USDA and White House officials.

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"We’re deeply grateful to [Collins] for this encouraging news and eager to put the whiplash and worry of recent weeks behind us and keep up our good work to move Maine forward," Chancellor Dannel Malloy of the university system and University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said in a joint statement, via the Bangor Daily News.

In fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA awarded $29.78 million in funding to UMS for research, the system said. The USDA claims it has provided over $100 million to the UMS in recent years in a letter addressed to the system. 

The pause in funding came during reviews of potential Title IX and Title VI violations by the universities after the state's recent refusal to comply with Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports. 

MICHIGAN VOTES TO URGE BAN ON TRANS ATHLETES AGAINST GIRLS; DEMS GET BACKLASH FROM LGBTQ+ ADVOCATES

Trump threatened to cut federal funding to Maine after a heated exchange with Gov. Janet Mills last month. That was followed up with a March Against Mills near the State House, where several female athletes took the microphone at the march to speak out against their Democrat governor.

A day later, eight activists protested outside Rep. Laurel Libby's home in opposition to her views. Libby helped ignite the contentious situation when, in early February, she identified a biological male on social media who competed in and won a girls state pole vault competition for Greely High School. Police protection was assigned to Greely High School during the controversy.

Trump reaffirmed his intent to punish states that continue to allow trans athletes to compete with girls during his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump mocked Democrats for their ongoing support of trans athletes in women's and girls' sports during Thursday's meeting with NATO leader Mark Rutte. Trump even suggested he hopes the party continues to push its stance on the issue to hurt their future election prospects. 

While criticizing Democrats for continuing their public arguments for supporting trans inclusion, Trump suggested 95% of Americans oppose it, and that Republicans should capitalize on their opponents' stance on the issue. 

"I saw this morning where one of them is pretty well known. One is arguing, fighting like crazy for men playing in women's sports. I think it's about a 95% issue, but in a way, I want [Democrats] to keep doing it, because I don't think they can win a race," Trump said. 

"I tell Republicans, 'Don't bring that subject up right now, because there's no election right now. But about a week before the election, bring it up, because we can't lose."

DEMOCRAT VOTERS ABANDON PARTY AFTER AOC, JEFFRIES SAY ANTI-TRANS ATHLETE BILL EMPOWERS SEXUAL PREDATORS

It was the second day in a row that Trump mocked Democrats on the issue, after making similar comments during Wednesday's meeting with Ireland Prime Minister Micheál Martin. 

"Who would allow men to play in women’s sports? And they’re still fighting it, they’re still  . . . . It’s gotta be a 95% issue," Trump said. "But they’re on television this morning, I see this person, a Democrat, say, ‘We should have the right . . . no, no. Men should not be allowed – they’re hurting women. They’re hurting women. Very badly, they’re hurting women. . . . And they’re also demeaning women. But who would want these things? Everything is transgender. Everybody transgender. That’s all you hear about. That’s why we won the election in record numbers."

Trump's claim that it is a "95% issue" is not backed by data. However, there is data that at least the majority of Americans, including most Democrats, oppose trans inclusion in women's sports. 

A New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports, as 79% of participants said that biological males who identify as women should not be allowed in women's sports. Of the participants who identified as Democrats, 67% said that transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. 

According to a Gallup poll last year, nearly 70% of Americans said that biological men should not be permitted to compete in women's sports.

Additional data suggests the issue affected the decisions of voters in the November election. 

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them. 

Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."

Trump leveraged the issue and took a firm stance in banning trans athletes in women's and girls' sports as a key campaign issue in 2024. His campaign ad that featured the slogan "Kamala is for they/them, Donald Trump is for you" was hailed as the most effective ad of the election. 

Trump made good on his campaign promise to issue a ban when he signed the "Keeping Men out of Women's Sports" executive order on Feb. 5. However, many Democrat-run states have since defied the order and are still letting trans athletes compete with females. 

In response, Trump's administration has launched investigation against four of those states – California, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Maine – over potential Title IX violations for their continued defiance of the order. 

Trump's Department of Health and Human Services has already determined that Maine has violated Title IX, while the Department of Agriculture has already cut millions in funding to eight Maine universities. 

The Republican-controlled Congress attempted to set a stricter precedent for enforcing a national trans-athlete ban in women's sports with the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, but it was filibustered in the Senate after it received no support from Democrats. 

Conservative activist Riley Gaines has vowed to help Trump employ the strategy of using the issue against the Democrats who blocked the bill, as she has said she will work to help unseat every Democrat who voted against the bill in the 2026 midterms and 2028 election. 

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pausing funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state, according to UMS officials. The pause is in response to the state's recent refusal to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports. 

The pause in funding comes as the USDA reviews potential Title IX and Title VI violations by the universities, amid the state's recent refusal to comply with Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports. Trump reaffirmed his intent to punish states that continue to allow trans athletes to compete with girls during his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress.

Trump's administration has now acted on that promise. 

A UMS spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital on Tuesday it has been notified its funding will be paused. 

MAINE REP LAUREL LIBBY FILES LAWSUIT OVER CENSURE FOR CALLING OUT TRANS ATHLETE IN GIRLS' SPORTS

"An email forwarded to the University of Maine that appears to have originated from the USDA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer directs the department’s 'awarding agencies and staff offices to temporarily no longer issue any payments or authorize any other releases of funding to Columbia University or the University of Maine System,'" the spokesperson said.

"The message goes on to state, 'This pause is temporary in nature while USDA evaluates if it should take any follow-on actions related to prospective Title VI or Title IX violations. Please take any necessary actions to effectuate this direction from leadership. This pause will remain in effect until further notice.'"

The UMS spokesperson says the system told the USDA the universities "were in compliance with relevant state and federal laws and that UMS universities are members of the NCAA," adding the system is "unaware" of any Title VI violations.

However, UMS says it will provide further clarity on the situation after "further analysis is completed."

DEMOCRAT VOTERS ABANDON PARTY AFTER AOC, JEFFRIES SAY ANTI-TRANS ATHLETE BILL EMPOWERS SEXUAL PREDATORS

In fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA awarded $29.78 million in funding to UMS for research, the system said. The USDA claims it has provided over $100 million to the UMS in recent years in a letter addressed to the system. 

The NCAA also amended its gender eligibility policy to prohibit any athlete born biologically male from competing in women's sports.

Trump initially vowed to cut funding to Maine specifically if it continued to allow trans athletes to compete in girls sports during a meeting of GOP governors at the White House on Feb. 20.

The next day, Gov. Janet Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withheld federal funding from the state. Then Trump and Mills verbally sparred in a widely publicized argument at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors.

Just hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would investigate the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports and for potential Title IX violations. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already determined that the state and its department of education have violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete and has made a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Republican Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby helped ignite the contentious situation when, in early February, she identified a biological male who competed in and won a girls state pole vault competition for Greely High School on social media. Police protection was assigned to Greely High School during the controversy.

Libby was then censured by the state's House of Representatives and Speaker Ryan Fecteau for the post. Libby filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Fecteau in response to the censure, seeking to have her voting and speaking rights restored.

The controversy has even incited a protest against Mills called the "March Against Mills" outside the Maine's State House Saturday morning. 

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Several female athletes took the microphone at the march to speak out against the Democratic governor.

A day later, eight pro-trans activists protested outside Libby's home in opposition to her views. 

They held signs that said "Shame on you Laurel 4 exploiting a child 4 your political gain" and "Protect trans youth," according to the Maine Wire.

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A Pennsylvania high school basketball game saw a wild brawl in the bleachers end with arrests this past Friday night. 

The game between Uniontown and Meadville High Schools got physical, but not with players on the court. Rather, it was parents in the stands, as at least two adult men were seen throwing punches, which led to quite the scene.

Video circulating online of the incident appears to show coaches and referees moving both teams to their benches in the fourth quarter. Then, cameras quickly shift to two men throwing punches at each in the stands, with many trying to break it up. 

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"I've never seen anything this ugly break out in person," an announcer on Unionville High School's YouTube channel during the game said. "This was really a shame."

The man who appeared to initiate the brawl was wearing a white jersey, and cameras caught him exiting his spot in the bleachers, walking down to the court and going to the other side behind Meadville to confront someone. That's when things turned ugly.

One player from the Meadville bench, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and white pants, jumped into the stands to throw punches before a coach eventually brought him back down to the court. 

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But things got much worse when a Uniontown player chased after a fan, who appeared to provoke him near where the initial brawl was, and sent him flying down onto the court. Players from both benches looked like they were going to brawl before coaches quickly sent them to the locker room. 

Different altercations happened at both ends of the court, but eventually dissipated.

Police officers were seen in the video of the altercation leading a man wearing a blue shirt out of the gymnasium in handcuffs. Another man at the opposite end of the gym was also in handcuffs. 

TMZ Sports learned from Meadville police that they intend "to be charging several fans and players. Most likely with Disorderly Conduct."

Announcers for the game noted a technical foul being called on Uniontown after a foul by Meadville was making the crowd upset before the brawl.

"Uniontown fans are going after the officials here a little bit," the announcer said. "You might have some ejections here."

Because of what occurred, the game was called by officials with 3:12 left in the fourth quarter, where Meadville was leading Uniontown, 63-55. 

This game was the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association's 5A state tournament, and the governing body's official bracket as of 5:27 p.m. on Monday states a "double forfeiture" with neither team moving on. 

Hershey, the team slated to face the winner of Uniontown-Meadville in the second round, has subsequently moved on to the quarterfinals. 

"I have contacted the schools involved and have requested a report from them by Monday AM regarding last night's incident," PIAA executive director Robert Lombardi told the Erie Times-News about the incident. "I have no further comment until I receive their reports."

The PIAA did not initially respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

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