Could You Complete The Presidential Fitness Test?
Newsweek4 days
Trump Revives Presidential Fitness Test for Schools
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test on July 31, 2025. Image copyright: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
The Presidential Fitness Test represents a return to American excellence and tradition. This program will restore competitive spirit and physical standards that made previous generations stronger and more disciplined. The test addresses a genuine crisis of childhood obesity and declining fitness that threatens national security and military readiness.
Democratic narrative
Reviving the fitness test risks returning to a system that publicly humiliated students and failed to improve overall health outcomes. The Obama-era replacement emphasized individual progress over competition, recognizing that one-size-fits-all testing can damage self-esteem and discourage lifelong fitness habits among children who struggle with physical challenges.