The Trump administration is once again turning up the pressure on the state of Maine—this time suspending federal wildlife funding over what officials are calling a clear-cut violation of federal anti-discrimination law.
The U.S. Interior Department has halted all grant funding to Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) due to the state’s gender-based hiring mandates. At issue is a policy requiring that every hiring panel within the department be made up of at least 50% women—regardless of applicant qualifications or staffing availability.
In a formal letter sent to MDIFW Commissioner Judy Camuso, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Paul Souza made clear that the policy violates Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. “The federal government does not fund programs that condition employment decisions on quotas or identity politics,” the letter stated.
Unless Maine reverses its policy and brings hiring practices into compliance with federal law, all federal wildlife funding to the department will be cut off starting May 15.
This move is the second in a series of Trump administration actions targeting what it calls Maine’s “radicalized” approach to public policy. Earlier this year, the administration also froze education funding over the state’s allowance of biological males competing in girls’ sports—sparking a civil rights lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education.
A senior Trump official underscored the broader message: “Whether it’s sports or staffing, we are not going to bankroll illegal discrimination under the guise of equity. States that want federal dollars must follow federal law.”
Governor Janet Mills and state officials have so far remained defiant, but with millions in federal grants now on the line, the political and legal consequences are mounting.
The move underscores the Trump administration’s firm stance on restoring merit-based systems and protecting equal rights under the law—without bending to activist-driven mandates or bureaucratic overreach.