The Presidential Fitness Test is set to make a comeback. President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order on Thursday afternoon that will reinstate the national fitness assessment used in public schools from 1956 until its discontinuation in 2013, according to a White House official speaking with NBC News.
The responsibility of overseeing the test will be assigned to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has expressed concerns regarding childhood obesity. His report, “Make America Healthy Again,” published in February, highlighted sedentary lifestyles as a contributing factor to the problem.
A White House official stated that Trump’s initiative aims to counter the declining health and physical fitness of Americans, addressing what has been described as “crisis levels” of obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition.
“President Trump wants every young American to have the opportunity to emphasize healthy, active lifestyles — creating a culture of strength and excellence for years to come,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.
Originally established during the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s, the Presidential Fitness Test has seen numerous changes over the years. The assessment typically included a series of exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, running, and toe-touching from a seated position. From the 1960s onwards, students achieving the highest fitness scores qualified for the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.
After the 2012-13 school year, the Obama administration replaced the fitness test with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which placed greater emphasis on individual health rather than athletic achievement.
Under Trump’s executive order, the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition will be tasked with establishing criteria for a new Presidential Fitness Award, according to the White House official. Bryson DeChambeau, a professional golfer and the council’s chair, is expected to attend the signing ceremony, along with several other professional athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, and Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam.
