Donald Trump is serving a piece of humble pie to his alma mater. The University of Pennsylvania has been found in violation of Title IX by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, following a federal investigation into the school’s transgender athlete policies. The determination marks a pivotal moment in the national debate over sex-based athletic standards, as the Biden-era interpretation of Title IX gives way to a more biologically grounded approach under the Trump administration.
The federal inquiry focused on UPenn’s decision to permit male athletes identifying as transgender women to compete in women’s intercollegiate sports and to access women-only spaces, including locker rooms. Investigators concluded the university failed to provide equal athletic opportunity to female students—an infringement of Title IX’s core guarantees. The finding cited well-documented biological differences in strength, endurance, and speed between the sexes, drawing on peer-reviewed research to bolster the case.
NEWS: The Trump admin has struck a deal with UPenn, forcing the school to strip Lia Thomas of his records, titles and other recognitions won while competing on the women’s sports team. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/1FZIeBZWnI
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) July 1, 2025
Under the terms of a proposed Resolution Agreement, the university will be required to reinstate the official records and achievements of displaced female swimmers, issue formal apologies, and publicly affirm its commitment to federal law. More significantly, UPenn must revise its internal policies to adopt sex-based definitions rooted in biology rather than gender identity, a shift that mirrors the Trump administration’s broader regulatory framework for Title IX enforcement.
Just got this email that was sent to the whole upenn community… pic.twitter.com/RWnzmkxpf2
— Paula Scanlan (@PaulaYScanlan) July 1, 2025
The decision follows an executive order issued in February by President Trump directing the Department of Education to withhold federal funding from schools that allow biological males to compete in female sports or use women’s facilities. That order, along with a similar ruling in California, signals a concerted federal campaign to reestablish women’s sports as protected single-sex spaces—a campaign that has already prompted widespread institutional recalibration.
At the heart of the debate is a clash between competing visions of equality: one based on gender identity and inclusivity, the other on sex-based protections and fairness in competition. The Biden administration’s 2023 Title IX guidance, which expanded biological men playing in women’s sports, was blocked by a federal court earlier this year. The ruling against UPenn now compounds that reversal, advancing a legal and cultural realignment that may redefine collegiate athletics nationwide.
As UPenn prepares to implement the mandated reforms, university administrators face both legal and political pressure. Failure to comply could jeopardize access to federal education funds. But broader questions remain: Will other institutions follow suit? And will federal courts ultimately uphold this interpretation of Title IX?
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