You may have seen Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently knocking out pull-ups in an airport; fully dressed in business casual, no less. And no, it wasn’t a PR stunt gone rogue. It was a signal.
The pull-ups were part of a broader $1 billion-plus push to improve the airport experience under a simple but surprisingly disruptive idea: Make Travel Family Friendly Again – or, more broadly, make it health-forward again.
With the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, implemented under Biden, airports can apply for federal grants to fund projects aimed at improving passenger experiences. That includes things like children’s play areas, nursing and lactation pods, quiet rooms, wellness spaces, and yes – even small gyms or movement zones. The policy framework already exists. What’s changed is the cultural emphasis.
Enter MAHA.
When JFK was president, America’s adult obesity rate hovered around 13 percent. Today, according to the CDC, that number sits north of 42 percent; with childhood obesity more than tripling over the same period. RFK Jr. has been consistent in arguing that physical health, mental health, and long-term national resilience are deeply intertwined. MAHA is the policy expression of that belief.
And honestly? It’s about time.
Airports are some of the most sedentary environments imaginable. We show up early, sit for hours, scroll or work endlessly, grab a drink at 6 a.m. (no judgment – live your life), and then sit some more. If we move at all, it’s usually pacing between gates or, in my case, doing lunges with a carry-on while pretending I don’t see anyone staring (please wave next time, I’m friendly).
What if movement wasn’t the weird choice, but the encouraged one?
What if, instead of defaulting to bar stools and charging stations, travelers had easy access to pull-up bars, stretching areas, mini-gyms, or open play zones for kids? Not CrossFit competitions in Terminal B – just space to move your body in a place that currently discourages it.
This is a cultural shift, not just an airport upgrade.
And that’s why MAHA supporters are leaning in. This isn’t about aesthetics or amenities. It’s about resetting norms.
The Overton window shifts slowly – until it doesn’t. And right now, it’s moving toward something we haven’t prioritized in decades: physical capability, mental clarity, and personal responsibility for health.
Encouraging movement in airports may sound small, but culturally, it’s a big deal. It says:
Being active isn’t fringe – it’s normal
Health isn’t partisan – it’s foundational
Public spaces can support better habits instead of undermining them
And politically? It’s smart. It’s pro-family, pro-health, pro-infrastructure, and pro-common sense, without mandating behavior or lecturing anyone. We’ve spent years redesigning airports to sell more cocktails and luxury retail. Maybe it’s time we also design them to help Americans feel better when they land than when they arrived.
If MAHA can help nudge culture toward movement, even in the most sedentary spaces we occupy, that’s a win. Not just for families, not just for travelers, but for a country that desperately needs to reconnect mind, body, and discipline.
And if that starts with a few pull-ups in Terminal 4? Honestly, I’m here for it.