President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test in schools nationwide, declaring that the “next few years will be a golden age of athletics.” The announcement was met with swift ridicule from late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who mocked Trump’s fitness claims during his monologue.
Kimmel’s Reaction
Kimmel suggested that Trump himself would have no chance of passing the test. “He’s talking about a golden age of athletics while he’s probably out of breath from walking to the podium,” Kimmel quipped. The comedian also took aim at Trump’s remarks on transgender rights, which were made with children present during the Oval Office signing ceremony.
Trump’s Remarks on Transgender Athletes
During the event, Trump discussed “men in women’s sports,” a topic Kimmel sarcastically described as the remarks of a “totally lucid, very rational, clear-minded, level-headed person.” The executive order aims to revive the fitness test originally launched in the 1950s, which measured students’ strength, speed, and endurance. It was replaced during the Obama administration with a program focused on individual progress.
Historical Context
The original Presidential Fitness Test was introduced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, following concerns about American children’s physical fitness compared to European youth. It was phased out in 2013 under President Barack Obama, who shifted to the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which emphasizes personal health goals rather than competitive benchmarks.
Kimmel’s mockery extended to Trump’s fitness levels, with the host joking that Trump would fail the very test he reinstated. The segment highlighted the contrast between Trump’s grandiose claims and his personal habits, which Kimmel often lampoons.
