U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Preserving America’s Game" on March 20, 2026, during a White House ceremony with the Navy Midshipmen football team. The event celebrated Navy's victory in the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, awarded annually to the service academy—Army, Navy or Air Force—that records 2-0 wins over the other two competitors in their round-robin series.[1]

The order aims to maintain the annual Army-Navy game as a standalone event on the second Saturday in December, amid concerns over scheduling conflicts with the expanded College Football Playoff format. The game, a college football rivalry between the U.S. Military Academy Black Knights and U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen since 1890, is traditionally broadcast by CBS, which holds rights through the 2034 season.[2][3]

Trump signed the order following Navy's 17-16 win over Army on December 13, 2025, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, securing the trophy during a season in which Navy finished 11-2, marking the program's first back-to-back 10-win seasons.

Speaking at the ceremony, Trump stated: "The annual Army-Navy game is truly one of the most special occasions in all of sports... I'm going to sign an executive order to ensure that the second Saturday in December is preserved exclusively."

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith criticized the move on his SiriusXM show, saying Trump was "sticking his nose in places that I don’t believe the president of the United States should be sticking their nose in," and questioning presidential authority over broadcast scheduling.

The Army-Navy game has been held at neutral venues in recent years, including M&T Bank Stadium multiple times. Trump previously attended the 126th Army-Navy game on December 13, 2025, alongside U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland.[4]

Sources

1. Naval Academy Athletics. "Commander's-in-Chief Trophy." Accessed October 2024. https://navysports.com/sports/football/roster
2. Wikipedia. "Army–Navy Game." Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army–Navy_Game
3. CBS Sports Press Release. "CBS Sports Extends Army-Navy Game Presentation Through 2034." November 15, 2023. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/cbs-sports-extends-army-navy-game-presentation-through-2034-season/
4. Associated Press. Coverage of Army-Navy game events. December 2025. https://apnews.com/hub/college-football