President Donald Trump has struck fear in the hearts of school-aged children everywhere with a move to once again require the Presidential Fitness Test. 

The program first became part of physical education under President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, and ran until the 2012-2013 school year, as The Daily Mail reported.

The test, which was done away with under the Obama administration and replaced by the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, had a firmer focus on fitness for K-12 kids.

The same order also restored the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, and was said to demonstrate the administration’s dedication to excellence for future Americans.

The Test

Children who took the traditional test were required to run for one mile, do pull-ups or push-ups, sit-ups, shuttle run, and sit-and-reach exercises.

It is as yet unclear what will be included in the new and improved Trump administration fitness test, but it is being referred to as a “time-honored tradition” that “inspired millions of American children to strive for their best.”

It will be administered by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,  and will be the “gold standard for youth physical fitness across the United States.”

According to the president, the council will play a part in helping not only with the test, but in restoring “tradition” in college sports, and keeping men out of women’s sports.

The Order

"For far too long, the physical and mental health of the American people has been neglected," the executive order said.

"Rates of obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition are at crisis levels, particularly among our children. These trends weaken our economy, military readiness, academic performance, and national morale."

More details on the executive order and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition will be released later and found on the White House website.

This program falls squarely under Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" administration banner.

Trump’s Take

The president had great support from his administration, and was joined by Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, and several iconic American athletes, including golfers Bryson DeChambeau and Annika Sörenstam, National Football Association’s Lawrence Taylor, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and wrestler Triple H.

“We are building a nation of strong, proud, and unstoppable young Americans. The Presidential Fitness Test is not just about physical strength—it’s about character, competition, and confidence,” President Trump said.

“Together, we are making fitness fun, competitive, and cool again.”