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President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test for public school students, a program the Obama administration had restructured to focus more on general health than physical achievement.
“We’re officially restoring the Presidential Fitness Test and the Presidential Fitness Award – and it’s going to be a very big thing,” Trump said at the White House. “It was a big deal,” he added, recalling how the test once inspired competition in schools. “This was a wonderful tradition, and we’re bringing it back.”
Originally launched by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, the test required students to complete sit-ups, pull-ups or push-ups, a sit-and-reach challenge, and a one-mile run until it was overhauled in 2012.
Joining Trump for the signing were members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, including professional golfers Bryson DeChambeau and Annika Sorenstam, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, and WWE executive and former wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque — who is also the son-in-law of Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
“We have an opportunity … to literally change the fabric of kids’ lives,” said DeChambeau, a two-time major champion and frequent golf partner of Trump.
During the event, Trump jokingly grabbed Triple H’s arm and said, “He is still very strong. He’s a strong guy.” The 14-time WWE champion responded, “Health, fitness, sports and nutrition has been such an important part of my life since I was a teenager,” adding, “I think learning that at a young age sets you up for success in life. And without it, you’re at a lesser place for it. So I look forward to the opportunity to do this.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also praised the initiative, recalling the pride he felt as a child when he excelled in the fitness test. “You had to do sit-ups, you had to do pull-ups, shuttle runs, a one-mile run, and they awarded the top 15% with a badge and with recognition and with a certificate,” Kennedy said. “For me, it was a huge item of pride when I was growing up.”
“We need to re-instill that spirit of competition and that commitment to nutrition and physical fitness,” Kennedy added. “And I’m so grateful to President Trump for your leadership and bringing this back for our country.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had announced the order earlier, noting it was part of Trump’s broader plan to reward “excellence in physical education” and “MAKE AMERICA FIT AGAIN!”
Under President Obama, the original test was phased out in favor of a broader health assessment model. The Presidential Youth Fitness Program continued into Trump’s first term and throughout the Biden administration.
Trump also said his sports council will weigh in on issues affecting college athletics and women’s sports. “It’s a mess, what happened. What they’re doing with college football, and the fans are upset about it,” Trump said, expressing frustration that players are being “traded around like playing cards.”
