WASHINGTON, D.C.: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, July 31, 2025, to bring back the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools. He said that the move was in response to what he called a national crisis of diminishing physical health. The Obama administration stopped the program in 2012 because it was a controversial remnant of the Cold War.
President Trump spoke passionately about his love for sports and how important it is to be healthy. He was flanked by famous athletes like WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H (Paul Levesque), professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump said, “The physical and mental health of the American people has been neglected for far too long.” “Rates of obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition are at an all-time high, especially among kids. These patterns make our economy, military readiness, academic performance, and national morale worse. The test’s return means that the federal government is once again focusing on health and physical education in schools.
A look back at the Presidential Fitness Test in history
The idea of a national fitness initiative goes back to 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was then president, set up the President’s Council on Youth Fitness. This happened because people were worried that American kids weren’t as physically strong as kids in Europe. A well-known research at the time indicated that 58% of American children failed in at least one area of physical strength, while just a small fraction of European children did. Eisenhower wanted to change this trend and make American youngsters “more completely fit.”
As president-elect in December 1960, John F. Kennedy published a compelling article in Sports Illustrated called “The Soft American” that drew attention to what people thought was a decrease in national fitness. President Lyndon B. Johnson later made the program official by calling it the Presidential Physical Fitness Award Program. This set up a system in which pupils who did well on a number of exercises would get a special award signed by the President.
Parts of the Test and Goals for the Future
Harvard Health Publishing says that five essential parts of the Presidential Fitness Test have always been there, even though the specific activities have changed over time.
A mile run
Push-ups or pull-ups (to see how strong your upper body is)
Sit-ups (to test the power of your abs)
Shuttle run (to check speed and agility)
Sit-and-reach test (to see how flexible you are)
When President Trump brought back the test, he said he wanted “bold and innovative fitness goals for American youth” to help create a new generation of healthy, active people. In the past, the Presidential Fitness Award came with a certificate signed by the President of the United States and a blue patch with an American eagle on it. Michael Nagel, the President and CEO of Vomaris Innovations, told a personal story: “The first Presidential Fitness Challenge I took part in as a child inspired me to stay active and fit. I have finished ten marathons and seven Ironman distance triathlons. My wife and I run races a few times a year. “It’s our lifestyle choice,” showing how these kinds of programs can have a long-term effect.
The reinstatement of the Presidential Fitness Test is anticipated to incite renewed discourse over its efficacy, potential effects on student welfare, and its relevance in contemporary educational curriculum.