Trump Restores Presidential Fitness Test in Schools, Reversing Obama-Era Program [WATCH]

President Donald Trump is set to sign a presidential memorandum on Tuesday restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Award, bringing back a competitive, school-based fitness benchmark that was phased out during the Obama administration, according to the White House, as reported by Fox News.

The signing is expected to take place in Washington, D.C., with members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition in attendance, along with National Fitness Foundation board members and several professional athletes.

Those expected to attend include golfer Bryson DeChambeau, retired professional golfer Gary Player, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Amani Oruwariye, and Major League Baseball pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

The Presidential Fitness Test is making a comeback.@POTUS signed an executive order reviving the school fitness benchmark phased out during the Obama years, bringing back national standards tied to running, strength, flexibility and youth athletic achievement.

Supporters frame…— Erik Hoffmann (@TheErikHoffmann) May 5, 2026

The move marks a return to a performance-based standard for student fitness and aligns with the administration’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. Trump had previously signed an executive order last year reestablishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition and reviving the Presidential Fitness Test.

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Tuesday’s memorandum is expected to pave the way for restoring the program and its awards across schools nationwide.

According to a copy of the National Physical Fitness Award obtained by Fox News Digital, the updated program will focus on measurable athletic performance benchmarks, similar to earlier versions of the test that ranked students based on physical achievement.

The Presidential Physical Fitness Test had been a long-standing program in American schools before it was discontinued during former President Barack Obama’s second term. It was replaced by the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which was part of the “Let’s Move” initiative.

That program shifted its focus away from competitive benchmarks and instead emphasized overall health assessments rather than athletic performance.

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At the time, critics of the change argued that removing competitive elements reduced incentives for students to meet physical performance goals, while supporters of the Obama-era program said it created a more inclusive approach for students of varying fitness levels.

The origins of federal involvement in youth fitness programs date back decades. The President’s Council on Youth Fitness was first established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after studies found American children were less physically fit than their European counterparts.

Under President John F. Kennedy, schools began administering standardized fitness tests as part of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness.

The Obama-era Presidential Youth Fitness Program focused “primarily on assessing health versus athleticism for America’s youth,” according to the Let’s Move initiative.

Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 21% of Americans between the ages of 2 and 19 were classified as obese between 2021 and 2023, with 7% categorized as having severe obesity.

The memorandum signing is expected to be followed by an event on the South Lawn with families and children in recognition of National Youth Sports and Fitness Month.

Trump: “I’m pleased to announce that we’re officially restoring the Presidential Fitness Test and the Presidential Fitness Award, and it’s going to be a very big thing.”

pic.twitter.com/HsRQ9HvHDN— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 31, 2025

Several Cabinet officials are also expected to attend, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner, and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

The White House indicated that the restored fitness test and award program will be implemented in schools across the country as part of the administration’s broader focus on youth health and physical activity.

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