President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Preserving America’s Game" on March 20, 2026, during a White House ceremony honoring the Navy Midshipmen for their Commander-in-Chief's Trophy win.[1]
The order seeks to designate the second Saturday in December exclusively for the Army-Navy college football game, preventing overlap with College Football Playoff contests.[1]
The Commander-in-Chief's Trophy is awarded annually to the U.S. service academy football team—Army, Navy or Air Force—that achieves the best record against the other two competitors during the regular season. A 2-0 mark secures outright possession.[2][3]
The Army-Navy game, contested annually since 1890, is college football's most storied rivalry. It is traditionally played on the second Saturday in December and airs on CBS, with broadcast rights secured through 2028.[4][5]
Recent editions have been held at neutral sites including M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, site of the December 14, 2024, matchup.[6]
With the College Football Playoff's expansion to 12 teams beginning in 2024, the Army-Navy game falls between conference championships and the playoff's first round, scheduled for December 20-21, 2024.[7]
Trump has previously engaged with the rivalry, delivering remarks before the 2019 Army-Navy game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.[8]
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith criticized the executive order on his SiriusXM radio show, calling it an overreach into broadcasting decisions.[1]
Sources
- Fox News, President Donald Trump signs "Preserving America’s Game" executive order, March 20, 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- Wikipedia, Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief%27s_Trophy
- Naval Academy Athletics, Army-Navy Series / Commander-in-Chief's Trophy History, accessed October 2024, https://navysports.com/news/2023/12/10/army-navy-series-commander-in-chiefs-trophy-history.aspx
- Wikipedia, Army–Navy game, accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army%E2%80%93Navy_game
- CBS Sports, CBS Sports extends Army-Navy Game presentation through 2028, November 26, 2019, https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/cbs-sports-extends-army-navy-game-rights-through-2028/
- CBS Sports, Army vs. Navy 2024 game time, date, TV channel, streaming, odds, December 2024, https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/army-vs-navy-2024-game-time-date-tv-channel-streaming-odds-and-more/
- CFP Official Site, 2024-2028 College Football Playoff format, accessed October 2024, https://collegefootballplayoff.com/
- The White House, Remarks by President Trump Before the Army-Navy Game, December 14, 2019, https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-army-navy-game/
