The Education Department has also launched investigations into state transgender policies, a key step in the process of pulling federal funding from an educational institution, which has not been done in decades.

The town of Cumberland, Maine — about 20 miles north of Portland — has landed at the heart of the battle between President Trump and Governor Janet Mills over transgender athletes.

President Donald Trump told Maine Gov. Janet Mills her state needed to comply with his order banning transgender athletes from playing in girls’ and women’s sports. Mills told Trump Maine is

President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to strip Maine of its federal funding if it refuses to comply with his executive order banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports, marking the White House’s latest front in the nation’s culture wars.

Here are a few things to know about Maine's policy on transgender athletes and President Trump's threat to withhold federal funds if the state doesn't make changes.

Proclaiming his administration as "federal law," the president demanded that Maine comply with his executive order banning transgender women from participating in women and girls' sports. Mills told the president that the state won't be intimidated and reiterated her vow to challenge him in court if he denies the state millions in federal cash.

President Donald Trump sparred with Maine's Democratic governor, Janet Mills, during a meeting of governors at the White House on Friday.

President Trump is threatening to withhold federal funds from Maine if it continues allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports in defiance of a recent executive