In a move that strikes at the heart of what makes America great—strength, discipline, and pride—President Donald Trump is bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test. This isn’t just about sit-ups and push-ups. It’s about restoring a culture of excellence and physical grit in a generation that’s been coddled, pacified, and softened by leftist ideology and bureaucratic complacency.
On Thursday, President Trump will sign an executive order reestablishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, along with the iconic Presidential Fitness Test that millions of American kids once took part in. The mission is simple but powerful: to combat the epidemic of declining health and physical fitness in our youth with a time-proven, American-born solution.
“President Trump wants to ensure America’s future generations are strong, healthy, and successful,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. And that’s exactly what this initiative is about—building a generation that can carry the torch of American greatness, not one that wilts under the weight of adversity.
This is a bold reversal of Barack Obama’s decision to retire the Presidential Fitness Test in favor of a watered-down program that emphasized participation over performance. Under Obama, the focus shifted toward “inclusive” and “non-competitive” frameworks. In other words, the Left did what it always does: lower the bar to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings. But as every sane adult knows, excellence doesn’t flourish in a culture of lowered expectations. It thrives on challenge, competition, and accountability.
Trump’s executive order directs the revamped council to create school-based programs that reward excellence in physical education and develop rigorous criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award. Not everyone gets a trophy here. You earn it. And that’s the point.
The council will be chaired by professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau and supported by a powerhouse list of athletic icons, including NFL kicker Harrison Butker, golf legend Annika Sorenstam, WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor. These aren’t just celebrity endorsements—they’re champions who understand the value of discipline, personal responsibility, and pushing human limits.
Let’s be clear: this is about more than kids doing jumping jacks. It’s about instilling a mindset. A belief in hard work. A rejection of victimhood. In a time when obesity rates are skyrocketing and screen addiction is robbing children of real-world experiences, Trump is once again demonstrating leadership where others have failed or refused.
Back in the 1950s, President Dwight D. Eisenhower created the original fitness council after discovering that American children were falling behind their peers in other nations. It was about national strength and preparedness. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson introduced the Presidential Physical Fitness Award to recognize young Americans who met high standards. That legacy was abandoned under Obama, but it’s now being restored by a president who actually believes in American exceptionalism.
And that’s the bigger point here. Liberals mock the idea of a fitness test because it represents everything they hate: standards, competition, and the idea that not everyone is equal in outcome. But the truth is, America was built by people who believed in earning their place, not being handed one.
President Trump is bringing back that spirit—not just in economics, border security, or foreign policy—but in our schools, our culture, and yes, our gyms. He’s sending a clear message: we are done with the softness. We are done with the excuses. It’s time to toughen up our youth, not just physically, but mentally and morally.
This is just one more example of Trump leading with common sense and unapologetic patriotism. While the Left obsesses over pronouns and safe spaces, Trump is focused on building a generation of strong, capable Americans.
And if that makes some liberal educators or bureaucrats uncomfortable? Good. Maybe it’s time they did a few push-ups themselves.
