President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday, 25 August warned that US public schools risk losing federal funding if they allow gender-related changes for children without notifying parents, marking a sharp escalation in the administration's push to expand parental rights over education decisions.

The Warning from the White House

Speaking at a back-to-school event in the White House Rose Garden, McMahon said her department was coordinating with the Department of Justice to prevent school districts from exercising authority over children that supersedes that of their parents. 'If they subject children to radical experiments and sideline parents, they will lose their federal funding,' she said.

McMahon accused the previous administration of permitting schools to conceal gender-transition decisions from families. No response from former Biden administration officials or affected school systems was available at the time of the event.

Trump's Remarks on Gender Ideology in Schools

President Trump, also addressing the event, said every public school in the country had been placed on notice. 'Every public school in America is now on notice that if they tell a child that they're trapped in the wrong body, they are committing child abuse,' he said.

Trump added that his administration had moved to remove what he termed 'gender ideology' and critical race theory from public schools since returning to office. 'We're systematically ending every single one of these radical left betrayals, and we're putting the parents back in charge,' he said.

California Singled Out

McMahon specifically named California, saying the administration had identified what she described as widespread violations in the state. 'We've exposed states like California for some of the most widespread offences and put schools on notice,' she said. The administration did not detail the specific violations or the schools involved at the event.

Transgender Sports Ban Cited

Trump also referenced his administration's earlier executive action barring transgender women and girls from participating in women's sports, describing it as straightforward to implement. He acknowledged the issue remained politically contested despite what he characterised as court victories for his administration.

Broader Education Restructuring

McMahon framed the gender-policy warning within a wider shift in education governance, saying decisions were being transferred from federal officials to state governments, local leaders, and parents. 'Children belong to their parents, not the federal government,' she said. Policies concerning transgender students — including sports participation, facility access, preferred names and pronouns, and parental notification — have generated ongoing disputes among states, school districts, parents, and civil rights groups across the United States. The administration's latest moves are expected to intensify those disagreements.