WASHINGTON D.C. – Former NFL running back Saquon Barkley has been appointed to President trump’s newly established Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, the White House announced today. The move comes after Barkley’s recent interactions with the President, including a flight back to Washington D.C. aboard Marine One following a visit to the National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.
The council, formalized through an executive order signed on July 31st, will advise the President on initiatives related to youth fitness, physical education, and the potential reinstatement of the Presidential Fitness Test. Its mandate includes developing strategies to promote healthy lifestyles and active citizenship among American youth.
The council is authorized to have a maximum of 30 members. Alongside Barkley, President Trump named a diverse group of athletes to the council, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, current NFL players nick Bosa (San Francisco 49ers), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami dolphins), and Harrison butker (Kansas City Chiefs), Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, hockey icon Wayne Gretzky, and LIV Golf professional bryson DeChambeau.
barkley’s appointment follows his visit to the White House in April with the Philadelphia Eagles to celebrate their Super Bowl LVIII victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He engaged in a round of golf with President Trump at the National golf Club Bedminster prior to the White House visit. Notably, Barkley also played golf with former President Barack Obama at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on October 26, 2023, a fact he highlighted in response to online criticism regarding his meetings with President Trump, referencing a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The Presidential Fitness Test, originally established in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as part of the youth Fitness Program, was discontinued in 2012. The council’s exploration of its reestablishment signals a potential shift towards a more standardized national approach to assessing and promoting physical fitness among young Americans. The council’s work is expected to focus on addressing current challenges in youth fitness and developing innovative school-based programs that reward physical excellence.
