President Donald Trump has announced plans to restore the Presidential Fitness Test through an executive order, reviving a program that once encouraged generations of Americans to embrace physical fitness.
The test, first introduced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, was designed to assess cardiovascular endurance, upper-body and core strength, flexibility, and overall fitness in young people. Over time, adults also began participating in the challenge, according to Harvard Health Publishing. The program was discontinued in 2012 under President Barack Obama, according to ABC News.
“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,” Trump said Thursday afternoon. “It was a wonderful tradition, and we’re bringing it back.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move is part of President Trump’s plan to “Make America Healthy Again,” emphasizing the initiative’s focus on building a culture of strength and excellence among young Americans.
“President Trump wants to ensure America’s future generations are strong, healthy, and successful,” Leavitt told ABC News. “He wants every young American to embrace healthy, active lifestyles, creating a culture of strength for years to come.”
The White House described the executive order as a response to rising obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity among American youth — trends officials say are undermining the nation’s economy, military readiness, academic performance, and overall morale.
Professional athletes have also voiced support for the initiative. Golfer Bryson DeChambeau said the test’s return could have a transformative impact on youth nationwide.
“We have an opportunity, in being on the 70th anniversary of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, to literally change the fabric of kids’ lives,” DeChambeau said. “And our first initiative is to bring back and reignite the President’s Fitness Test,” he told ABC News.