President Donald Trump is vowing to “Make America Fit Again” as he signs an executive order re-establishing the Presidential Fitness Test to “motivate kids” in U.S. public schools.
On Thursday (July 31), President Trump signed a series of orders that will expand on his council on sports, fitness, and nutrition, including by reviving the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools.
He signed the executive order with Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon standing at his side in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Members of a national sports council, known formally as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, also joined Trump.
These members included: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick; professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau; WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque; former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor (also a registered sex offender), plus more.
Speaking of the fitness test that began in 1966, but was phased out during the Barack Obama administration, Trump said:
“This is a wonderful tradition, and we’re bringing it back. I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports. When you are really focused on sports, you’ve thought about nothing else. To an extent, this is one of the reasons I like golf. You get away for a couple of hours.”
White House Speaks On Donald Trump Signing Executive Order To ‘Make America Fit Again’ With Presidential Fitness Test
White House officials told CNN that the executive order would create programs for schools to reward “excellence in physical education.” The order also aims to address “the widespread epidemic of declining health and physical fitness.”
In a statement to the media, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said:
“President Trump wants to ensure America’s future generations are strong, healthy, and successful. President Trump wants every young American to have the opportunity to emphasize healthy, active lifestyles — creating a culture of strength and excellence for years to come.”
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In the fitness test, children had to run and perform sit-ups, pull-ups, or push-ups and a sit-and-reach test. However, the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.”
Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let’s Move” initiative. It focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise. Per a Health and Human Services Department website, which was last updated in 2023, but still accessible at publishing, the Youth Fitness Test “minimizes comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health.
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