Former US President Donald Trump has vowed to use executive power to protect the traditional time slot of the annual Army-Navy American football game, framing it as a defence of patriotism against commercial interests.
Patriotic Tradition Versus "Big TV Money"
In a social media post on Saturday, the 79-year-old former commander-in-chief declared he would sign a historic executive order to prevent other postseason college football games from being scheduled during the Army-Navy game's four-hour window. This window falls on the second Saturday of December each year.
Trump described the contest as "one of our Greatest American Traditions" and claimed it was now "at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games, and Big TV Money." He asserted that under his administration, the exclusive broadcast slot would be secured so the "National Event stands above Commercial Postseason Games."
"No other Game or Team can violate this Time Slot!!!" he wrote, concluding with "God Bless America, and God Bless our great Army-Navy Game!!!"
A Long-Standing Fan of the Pageantry
Trump's connection to the game is well-documented. He has attended the storied rivalry matchup on six occasions, most recently in December at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium. The game, the 126th edition, saw the Navy Midshipmen face the Army Black Knights.
Despite his frequent attendance and embrace of the event's ceremonial aspects, Trump has never publicly declared support for either academy's team and has no personal or family ties to the US military.
Broader Context of Media and Institutional Pressure
This intervention into sports scheduling is viewed by observers as the latest example of Trump seeking to impose his will on media and institutional norms. His administration has a contentious history with press organisations.
Recently, devices including a phone, two laptops, and a smartwatch were seized from the home of Washington Post journalist Hannah Natanson. A warrant linked the search to an investigation into a government contractor accused of illegally retaining classified materials. The Post stated its journalist and the newspaper were not targets.
This incident occurred within a pattern of actions against media outlets during Trump's presidency, including lawsuits against The New York Times, CBS, and the BBC. Furthermore, funding for public broadcasting was choked off over perceived political bias, and major news networks were barred from Pentagon press stations after refusing new reporting rules set by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Some outlets, however, have shifted editorial stances. Analysts note that the Washington Post's opinion pages moved to the right under owner Jeff Bezos, while CBS News altered its approach following a corporate ownership change last summer.
