Trump Administration Reinstates Presidential Fitness Test Nationwide

President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test in American public schools, aiming to revive a tradition dating back to the 1950s that assesses student physical fitness through exercises like sit-ups, one-mile runs, and stretches. The test, originally established under President Eisenhower and formalized under President Johnson, was discontinued in 2013 during the Obama administration in favor of a program focusing on individual health improvement rather than competition. Trump's move to bring back the test has drawn mixed reactions: while the administration promotes it as a way to encourage health and athleticism among youth, critics and social media users have mocked the president's own health and recalled the test's historically stressful and sometimes damaging impact on students. Prominent athletes, including golfer Bryson DeChambeau and former NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor, appeared at the announcement, though Taylor's presence has raised controversy due to his criminal record. Comedian Stephen Colbert satirized the move, highlighting the test's competitive nature and the cultural discomfort it caused, while many parents and former students expressed negative memories of the fitness challenges they faced. Despite criticism, the Trump administration frames this reinstatement as a positive effort to confront modern sedentary lifestyles and restore a once-valued physical fitness standard in schools.