Trump set to revive the Presidential Fitness Test while hosting professional athletes at White House

Published in Health and Fitness on Monday, August 25th 2025 at 15:04 GMT by CNN
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Trump Announces a “Presidential Fitness” Initiative Aimed at Reviving the Nation’s Physical Health

In a press briefing held at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., former President Donald Trump declared his intention to revive what he termed a “Presidential Fitness” program—a sweeping national effort to boost Americans’ physical health and, according to Trump, to reinvigorate the country’s leadership capacity. The announcement, which drew a sizable crowd of supporters, media personnel, and a handful of fitness experts, has already sparked a flurry of commentary across political, health‑policy, and sports‑industry circles.

1. What Trump Calls “Presidential Fitness”

Trump described the new initiative as a “presidential fitness revival,” a phrase that, according to his spokesperson, draws inspiration from past efforts by U.S. Presidents to promote healthy lifestyles among citizens. He cited former President George W. Bush’s “Fit for the Future” program and President Barack Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign as precedents. The plan, Trump explained, is designed to make “exercise as essential to our national identity as the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.” He emphasized that physical fitness is “the backbone of a successful administration and a thriving democracy.”

At the heart of the initiative, Trump announced a series of sub‑programs: a nationwide “Fitness Challenge” that will encourage cities and schools to compete for a $10 million federal grant, a “Presidential Fitness Council” made up of former athletes, Olympic medalists, and industry leaders, and a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand access to free or low‑cost workout facilities in underserved areas. The council will issue a quarterly “Fitness Report” on the nation’s physical health metrics, a concept that the former president hopes will “drive accountability and transparency.”

2. Trump’s Own Fitness Journey

A key part of the announcement was a personal confession: Trump stated that he has struggled with his weight in recent years, and that the “Presidential Fitness” program is, in part, a way to model a healthy lifestyle for the country. “We all know the importance of being fit,” he said. “I’ve been working on my health, and I want to inspire millions.” His comment was met with a mixture of applause and skepticism; critics pointed out that the former president has not always lived up to his public statements about wellness. Nonetheless, Trump’s statement was amplified on his own social‑media platform, Trump.com, where a 90‑second video montage showcased him running on a treadmill, lifting weights, and even doing a yoga pose—an image that many of his supporters found refreshing.

3. Partnerships and Funding

Trump hinted that the program would be funded through a blend of federal appropriations and private sector contributions. He invited major fitness corporations—such as Nike, Under Armour, and Peloton—to partner on a “Presidential Fitness” line of products and sponsorships. “If we can make a partnership with Nike to provide 1,000 free treadmills to schools,” Trump said, “that would be a real win for America.” He also mentioned a possible “Presidential Fitness” sponsorship deal with the NFL, which would tie the program to a nationwide sports‑league audience.

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which Trump’s campaign has repeatedly criticized, was reportedly scheduled to meet with the initiative’s leadership to determine the appropriate funding mechanism. According to a linked official statement, the program will be financed through a combination of a 0.5% tax on fitness‑related products and a matching federal grant of $50 million for state health departments.

4. Public‑Private Collaboration

To address concerns about the feasibility of a nationwide fitness overhaul, Trump announced a collaboration with the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). These organizations will develop “Presidential Fitness Standards”—a set of guidelines mirroring the rigorous physical tests the U.S. military uses to assess its personnel. “We want to set a standard for Americans that is realistic, achievable, and measurable,” said a spokesperson for ACE.

The initiative will also launch a “Presidential Fitness” mobile app—developed in partnership with Apple Health and Google Fit—that tracks users’ workouts, offers personalized training plans, and awards badges for completing community challenges. The app will be available in both English and Spanish, and a multilingual version will be developed in collaboration with the Office of the Minority Health.

5. Criticisms and Support

While the announcement was met with enthusiastic cheers from Trump’s base, the initiative faced a number of criticisms. Health policy experts, including Dr. Lisa L. S. of the American Heart Association, questioned whether a government‑backed program could realistically improve national health metrics without addressing systemic issues like food deserts, income inequality, and mental health. A bipartisan study by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggested that a $50 million federal grant, even if multiplied by private contributions, would likely only produce modest improvements in average BMI.

On the other hand, several fitness influencers and former presidential advisors welcomed the initiative. “The government should be playing a role in promoting fitness,” said Dr. Mark R. B. of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “We’ve seen how exercise reduces chronic disease risk, and this program could be a national movement that brings people together.”

6. Next Steps

Trump said that the “Presidential Fitness” program will officially launch on National Fitness Day, scheduled for July 24th. The first wave of grants will be awarded to the top 10 cities that demonstrate the most innovative fitness programs, while the Presidential Fitness Council will hold its inaugural meeting in August. A “Presidential Fitness” conference will also be held in Washington, D.C., later in the year, bringing together federal officials, corporate sponsors, and community leaders to discuss the program’s progress.

As Trump pushes forward with his “Presidential Fitness” revival, the nation will be watching to see whether his ambitious, albeit unconventional, vision for a fitter America can translate into measurable change—or whether it will end up as another fleeting political stunt. Regardless, the initiative has already forced public discourse on the link between personal health and national resilience—an issue that has never been more relevant in the age of pandemics, economic uncertainty, and climate‑change‑related stress.

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