President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to revive the Presidential Fitness Test.
The previous test demanded that students run one mile, do an undetermined number of pushups and sit-ups, the shuttle run, and the sit-and-reach, according to Harvard Health.
The order will revive school-based programs that reward physical education, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X.
"MAKE AMERICA FIT AGAIN!
The order will formally reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test, first introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966, creating school-based programs that reward 'excellence in physical education.'"
MAKE AMERICA FIT AGAIN! 💪
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 31, 2025
“The order will formally reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test, first introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966, creating school-based programs that reward “excellence in physical education” https://t.co/l3XlTShL2e
Trump brought star athletes, including former New York Giants' linebacker Lawrence Taylor, LIV golfer Bryson DeChambeau, and chief content officer of the WWE Paul Levesque to the White House to Make America Healthy Again.
Trump signed the order flanked by the athletes.
President Donald J. Trump brought together 30 top athletes to revive the Presidential Fitness Test for America's youth. 🇺🇸
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 1, 2025
Let's Make America Fit Again! 💪 pic.twitter.com/oCkNAt08BG
The order attacks an obesity epidemic. From August 2021 to August 2023, the prevalence of obesity in adults was 40.3%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Trump signed an Executive Order revitalizing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and reestablishing the Presidential Fitness Test.
The order directs the Council to create school-based programs that reward excellence in physical education and develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will administer the test.
The order instructs the Council to partner with professional athletes, sports organizations, and influential figures.
Over the next three years, America will host the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup, the FIFA World Cup, and the Olympic Games.
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