Key Takeaways
- More than 21% of Americans ages 2 to 19 were classified as obese between 2021 and 2023, according to CDC data cited in the announcement.
- The memorandum revives a performance-based school fitness benchmark phased out during the Obama administration’s second term.
- The action builds on a 2025 executive order that reestablished the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.
- Athletes attending the signing included Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Player, Amani Oruwariye, and Noah Syndergaard.
- The signing coincides with National Youth Sports and Fitness Month and is followed by a South Lawn event with families.
via: Fox News Digital obtained a copy of the National Physical Fitness Award. (The White House)
What the Memorandum Restores
President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Tuesday, May 5, restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Award. The award is a performance-based benchmark that ranks students on measurable athletic standards.
The memorandum operationalizes a 2025 executive order that reestablished the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition and the Presidential Fitness Test. Tuesday’s action paves the way for the test and awards to return to American schools.
How Federal Youth Fitness Policy Has Shifted
The President’s Council on Youth Fitness was first established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after studies showed American children lagged European peers in physical fitness. Schools began administering a fitness test under President John F. Kennedy.
The original Presidential Physical Fitness Test was phased out during President Barack Obama’s second term and replaced with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, part of the Let’s Move initiative. According to the Let’s Move website, that program focused “primarily on assessing health versus athleticism for America’s youth.” Critics of the original test argued its competitive structure discouraged less athletic students.
Athletes and Officials at the White House Signing
Members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition and the National Fitness Foundation board attended the signing. The group included golfer Bryson DeChambeau, retired golfer Gary Player, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Amani Oruwariye, and MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
Trump is expected to follow the Oval Office signing with a South Lawn event with families and children to mark National Youth Sports and Fitness Month.
Youth Health Data Cited in the Announcement
CDC data referenced in the announcement shows more than 21% of Americans ages 2 to 19 were classified as obese between 2021 and 2023. Severe obesity affected 7% of youth in the same period. The administration framed the action as part of its broader Make America Healthy Again push.
What the Restoration Means for Schools and Sports Programs
With the memorandum in place, the administration now has a path to reintroduce a uniform athletic benchmark across U.S. schools. Federal youth fitness policy moves back toward measurable performance standards rather than a participation-and-health framework.
For school athletic departments, PE programs, and youth sports organizations, the restoration creates a federally branded touchpoint that has not existed for more than a decade. Implementation timelines, scoring criteria, and reporting requirements have not yet been disclosed.
Source: Fox News, Ashley J. DiMella, May 5, 2026
Image: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
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