Trump Administration Reverts Title IX Rules, Scrapping Protections

The administration’s decision restores requirements that allow witnesses to challenge the credibility of survivors in sexual misconduct cases, a shift critics warn will discourage victims from coming forward. By abandoning the 2024 amendments, the Education Department has effectively stripped federal protections for students based on gender identity, pregnancy, or parental status. The department stated on social media that it is reasserting that Title IX protections apply strictly to sex rather than gender identity.

Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson condemned the abrupt implementation, noting the administration denied families and educators any opportunity to weigh in on the policy change. Meanwhile, Shiwali Patel of the National Women’s Law Center argued the move weaponizes the law against transgender students while weakening accountability for sexual violence. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker joined the criticism, pledging that his state would maintain its own safety standards for students regardless of the federal rollback. The administration’s pivot arrives as schools face renewed scrutiny over sexual assault handling, most notably in a high-profile case recently reopened at Cornell University.