President Donald Trump is re-instituting the Presidential Fitness Test. By doing so, he’ll ignite a critical movement in America, as our country stands at a cultural crossroads.
Trump announced that he will host several professional athletes Thursday at the White House to celebrate the signing of an executive order mandating that public schools reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test. Sports stars like golfer Bryson DeChambeau, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor will attend the event.
DeChambeau, who has a popular golf channel on YouTube, will chair the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
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” https://t.co/l3XlTShL2e
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 31, 2025
The Presidential Fitness Test was initially instituted in the 1950s to address Cold War-era concerns about American youth being physically and mentally “soft” compared to their international rivals. It evaluated physical fitness in children ages 6 to 17 through a series of exercises that gauged their level of strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)
The program’s purpose was to instill in the American mind, especially school-aged children, the idea that fitness, national security, and vitality are all linked.
This is, of course, what Trump wants to do as well. However, during the first run of the fitness test, the American mentality was much more prone to accepting patriotic messaging than our current citizenry. In a June 2025 Gallup poll, overall pride reached a new low, with 58% of respondents reporting they are extremely or very proud. This downturn was mainly driven by declines among Democrats, with only 36% saying they are extremely or very proud (down from 62% in 2024). Among Gen Z Democrats, just 24% said they were proud to be an American.
A nation can’t survive if the younger generations do not love it and wish for its promise to continue. But if Trump’s plan is successful, it should revitalize American patriotism and reestablish the mindset that having strong kids will build a stronger, more cohesive nation.
This couldn’t come at a better time as Americans debate important cultural topics and what it even means to be an American. As our children become increasingly addicted to the algorithms presented to them throughout the day, the fitness test will serve as an essential break from artificial reality, returning them to the real world. Our country hosts some of the highest obesity rates in the world, left-wing radicals have hijacked their education, and their smartphones are poisoning whatever brain cells they have left. (ROOKE: Millennial Parents Are Rediscovering Age-Old Method Of Raising Good Kids)
Still, the push to make physical excellence an essential part of the school curriculum isn’t just about fitness. Trump is giving our children a chance to reclaim crucial characteristics of a healthy citizenry: discipline, standards, and national pride.
We often discuss the concerns about whether future generations have what it takes to protect our nation from its many enemies. This is not a new phenomenon. However, never before in history have American children been so unprepared for what it takes to be mentally, emotionally, and physically fit.
Reintroducing the Presidential Physical Fitness Test is more than just improving health outcomes for our children; it is also a vital step in promoting overall well-being and an investment in our future. It will serve as the stepping stone for a stronger nation. One that will hopefully stand out and be the beacon on the hill, a shining example of our American Exceptionalism.
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