On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on national recognition for youth sports and fitness, and a memorandum to restore a revised and revitalized Presidential Fitness Test Award.
In July 2025, Trump signed an executive order to re-establish the Presidential Fitness Test in our national contests and celebrations. The Presidential Fitness Test competition was first started with President Dwight Eisenhower, but discontinued in 2013 under President Barack Obama.
FIRST ON FOX: President Trump is officially bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test Award, restoring the competitive school-based program that was phased out in the Obama years.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 5, 2026
The president is expected to be joined by several high-profile athletes as well as members of the… pic.twitter.com/ijYmuOytxJ
FIRST ON FOX: President Trump is officially bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test Award, restoring the competitive school-based program that was phased out in the Obama years.
The president is expected to be joined by several high-profile athletes as well as members of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition while signing the memo in the White House.
Trump first signed an executive order to reestablish the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition and the Presidential Fitness Test last year, with today's memorandum paving the way for the administration to restore the test and awards at all American schools.
Trump sat at the resolute desk, flanked by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and a number of student athletes, who helped to spotlight the return to American athletic traditions and to promote physical fitness as a norm among youth and all Americans.
WATCH:
President Trump is bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test — starting today, right on the South Lawn of the White House 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/sAArK7tfim
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
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Trump read from the memorandum:
From the late 1950s until 2013, grade schoolers across the country competed against each other in the Presidential Fitness Test, then we had the Obama administration, which phased out this wonderful tradition of physical fitness—and we're bringing it back.
WATCH:
.@POTUS: From the late 1950s until 2013, grade schoolers across the country competed against each other in the Presidential Fitness Test, then we had the Obama administration, which phased out this wonderful tradition of physical fitness—and we're bringing it back. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/5WpsME8W8e
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
.@POTUS: "We're thrilled to have so many young athletes here at the White House and in the Oval Office on this magnificent Spring day... to celebrate America's athletic traditions and champions in physical fitness." pic.twitter.com/IJI2RGH7pl
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
Members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition were also in the Oval Office, including pro golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who participated in the Presidential Fitness Test when he was a youth. DeChambeau expressed his delight in seeing the Presidential Fitness Test revived so that adults can aspire "to help these kids be a better version of themselves."
DeChambeau talked about why this was such a huge goal for him.
"The reason why re-establishing the golden standard of the Presidential Fitness Test has been a huge deal for me is that these kids now are going to have a healthy future. That's really an important thing for us to note here. We want to make sure our kids have the best opportunity to succeed in life, and not only from their mind, but their health and well-being. Physical fitness is a huge priority to helping them become better human beings in general for our nation."
DeChambeau encouraged the young people surrounding President Trump to "try to be a better version of yourself every day."
WATCH:
.@brysondech: Re-establishing the Presidential Fitness Test has been a huge deal for me. These kids now are going to have a healthy future. We want to make sure our kids have the best opportunity to succeed in life, and their physical fitness is a huge priority to helping them… pic.twitter.com/VV4Dyiq0LM
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
Gary Player was also in the room. A retired pro golfer, philanthropist, and founder of the Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation, Player shared some thoughts that encapsulated not just the importance of restoring the Presidential Fitness Test competition, but how it all tied into the holistic goals of the MAHA agenda.
Player began his inspirational remarks:
"Mr. President, first of all: Thank you very much for having us and hosting this today. I've been around almost every president for the last 65 years, and I've never seen a president that loves this country as much. They all did, and they all did great works, but I've never seen a president that loves the country as much as you do. And I say, 'Thank you.' Because I have traveled more miles than any human being before, without being repetitive, and I've never seen a country like this. The freedom that exists, which is so important to all of us. And that sport can change the world, can give people a chance, that don't have any hope — it can give them hope. As we've seen: many people with little education have become world champions. Only in America have you got that opportunity."
Facts. I haven't traveled as many places as Mr. Player, but where I have traveled, the hallmark of our way of life is that you can aspire to anything, and often fitness of body, and equally important, fitness of mind, can be the fuel that helps one ascend to greater heights.
Player continued, applauding HHS Secretary Kennedy for his work to change the outcomes of children's health and stamp out chronic illnesses.
"And the other thing is, to Mr. Kennedy, who I have absolutely utmost respect for. You know, my great dream now, I'm finished with tournament golf, my great dream is for the youth of America, the youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity. These are the people that are going to be the future champions. Now when I talk, I always talk about the importance of fitness. It's so important. Please, can we bring it back into the schools?"
Player then talked about the importance of eating real food, "This is so important, what you put in your body." But Player deepened this concept of ingesting healthy things by encouraging the young people to embrace love of country and love of learning. These are pivotal to understanding and maintaining our freedoms.
Player concluded his remarks:
"The big thing that I wish, and I pray everyday, and wherever I talk, and I do a lot of talking, I say to the young people, 'Just love this country.' Because you don't realize what's going on around the world. Even the students of the great universities of America really don't understand what's happening around the world today. There is a silent war taking place against America today. And what we gotta do is make these kids realize, that freedom, and exercise, and education... start reading some books. Yes, keep your phone, but also read some good books, and listen to what Mr. Kennedy is saying: What you put in your body is so important. What a wonderful job he's done, and all of your cabinet members, of which I say, 'Thank you,' for maintaining this great word, this cherished word: Freedom."
WATCH:
.@garyplayer: "I've never seen a President that loves the country as much as you do, and I say thank you, because I've traveled more miles than any human being before... and I've never seen a country like this — the freedom that exists, which is so important to all of us..." pic.twitter.com/7t85aYgW3a
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
President Trump took questions from the press and then went out to the White House lawn to watch the kids do their fitness exercises.
After re-establishing the Presidential Fitness Test, @POTUS comes outside to greet the young golfers practicing on the White House putting green ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/vDk9cevkm5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
Exciting day at the White House—the Presidential Fitness Test is BACK! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IiEKcplThg
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) May 5, 2026
Trump even took the time to show the young people the proper way to do his signature dance.
WATCH:
Teaching the kids how the Trump Dance is done 🤣 pic.twitter.com/EksySbgK9r
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
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