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WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced the revival of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, signaling a renewed emphasis on reintroducing an annual fitness evaluation in American schools.
This initiative harks back to the Presidential Fitness Test, a staple in public education for many years until it was replaced during President Barack Obama’s administration with a program that prioritized long-term health over competition. Last summer, Trump signed an order to reinstate the fitness test, originally established in the 1950s.
“We’re bringing it back,” Trump declared during a ceremony in the Oval Office, where he was joined by children and professional athletes. “My administration is committed to upholding America’s storied athletic heritage and instilling the values of excellence and competitiveness in future generations.”
The classic fitness test evaluated students through various exercises, like a 1-mile run and sit-ups, with those surpassing the 85th percentile for their gender in each test earning the Presidential Physical Fitness Award. However, the specifics of the reinstated test have not yet been disclosed.
Trump presented the award from his desk, surrounded by Cabinet members such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Housing Secretary Scott Turner. They were accompanied by children who participated in sports like football, volleyball, hockey, and golf.
The test is being made mandatory for students at 161 schools located on U.S. military installations, Hegseth said in the Oval Office. He encouraged other schools across the country to follow.
“We need young, strong, healthy Americans, whether you serve in the military or any other aspect of your life,” Hegseth said. “The idea that competition is bad is the beginning of decline of a nation.”
Trump, an avid golfer and sports enthusiast, emphasized the importance of balancing both physical and mental fitness, saying that it’s “all about the mind” at top levels of competition. He praised the athletes at the White House event while joking about his own fitness regimen.
“I work out so much, like about one minute a day, max – if I’m lucky,” Trump said.
Trump said he would be signing the first copy of the new award on Tuesday. After the Oval Office event, the kids were invited to the South Lawn to play sports to a soundtrack of songs like “YMCA” and “Eye of the Tiger.” Trump joined outside as the kids putted at a green, kicked soccer balls and threw a baseball with pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
The president connected the initiative to Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Speaking alongside Trump, Kennedy said it was “very unfortunate” that Obama discontinued the test and cited increased obesity among American children.
“We need to teach people how to win and how to lose and how to process victory and defeat,” Kennedy said.
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