President announces new push to school fitness standards, major sports events, and national celebrations.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday restoring the Presidential Fitness Test and revitalizing the federal sports council, framing the move as part of his administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. The decision reinstates a decades-old fitness program once familiar to generations of American students at a time when youth obesity rates are on the rise.
Kids in America's public schools will soon be lacing up their sneakers for the Presidential Fitness Test as President Trump announced its return Thursday — more than a decade after it was discontinued. https://t.co/tnG04zPFmm
— ABC News (@ABC) August 4, 2025
“We are building a nation of strong, proud, and unstoppable young Americans. The Presidential Fitness Test is not just about physical strength — it’s about character, competition, and confidence,” Trump said during a White House ceremony. “Together, we are making fitness fun, competitive, and cool again.”
Trump was joined by Vice President JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and a lineup of well-known sports figures, including golfers Bryson DeChambeau and Annika Sörenstam, NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and wrestler Triple H. Kennedy will oversee the program, which Trump described as the “gold standard” for youth physical fitness.
The revitalized President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition will create school-based programs, reintroduce the Presidential Fitness Award, and address broader sports policy issues. According to the White House, that includes looking at reforms to the NCAA transfer portal and policies regarding participation in women’s sports. Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley has been named to the council.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has been named to President Trump's council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, joining the President's push for youth fitness and the revival of the Presidential Fitness Test in schools.https://t.co/0VkhZfaQPW
— CBS Philadelphia (@CBSPhiladelphia) August 1, 2025
Trump also tied the renewed focus on physical fitness to the United States’ role as host for major upcoming competitions, including the Ryder Cup, President’s Cup, FIFA World Cup, and Olympic Games.
“This is a movement about discipline, strength, and excellence,” Trump said. “The more we empower our kids to push harder, reach higher, and strive together, the more we secure America’s greatness for generations to come.”
The relaunch comes ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, which will also mark 70 years since President Dwight Eisenhower created the original President’s Council on Youth Fitness and the program that gave rise to the Presidential Fitness Test.
