The U.S. Department of Education has formally rescinded the Biden administration's 2024 Title IX rule and restored the 2020 Trump-era regulations, according to Education Secretary Linda McMahon. The move reinstates the previous regulatory framework regarding athlete eligibility in girls' and women's sports, which McMahon said clarifies that "girls are in theirs" and "boys and men are in boys and men's sports". This action formalises what the department was already enforcing after courts had invalidated the Biden rule, which had expanded Title IX protections to include gender identity.

The Trump administration is pursuing its interpretation of Title IX through investigations, funding restrictions, and referrals to the Department of Justice, including a lawsuit against Maine over its policy allowing trans-identifying athletes in girls' sports. States including Maine, California and Minnesota face consequences through reimbursement requirements, whereby they must produce receipts rather than receiving funding in advance. The department cited the University of Pennsylvania's July 2025 agreement as a potential framework for other cases, which required the university to restore records and titles to female athletes and issue apologies following a competitor's participation on the women's swimming team.