President Donald Trump signed the "Preserving America’s Game" executive order during a White House visit by the Navy Midshipmen football team on March 20, 2026. The ceremony honored Navy's victory over Army in December, securing the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
The order directs that no College Football Playoff or other postseason college football games be broadcast in a way that directly conflicts with the Army-Navy game, traditionally held on the second Saturday in December.[1]
The Army-Navy game is an annual college football rivalry between the United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, first played on November 29, 1890. As of the 2024 season, Army leads the all-time series 63-54-7.[2]
The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, first awarded in 1972, goes annually to the service academy—Army, Navy or Air Force—with the best record against the other two in football.[3]
Navy is coached by Brian Newberry, who was named head coach in December 2023.[4]
Speaking in the East Room of the White House, Trump described the Army-Navy game as "one of the most special occasions in all of sports" threatened by the College Football Playoff expansion. He said the order preserves the second Saturday in December exclusively for the game.
Trump added that the move might prompt a lawsuit but expressed confidence in prevailing. Navy head coach Brian Newberry thanked Trump for "protecting the sanctity of the Army-Navy game."
The College Football Playoff expanded to a 12-team format for the 2024 season.[5]
Sources
- Organization: U.S. Naval Academy Athletics
Article/page title: Army-Navy Game Central
Publication date: Ongoing
Direct URL: https://navysports.com/sports/football/opponent-history/army/35 - Organization: Wikipedia
Article/page title: Army–Navy Game
Accessed date: 2024-10-01
Direct URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army%E2%80%93Navy_Game - Organization: Wikipedia
Article/page title: Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Accessed date: 2024-10-01
Direct URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief%27s_Trophy - Organization: U.S. Naval Academy Athletics
Article/page title: Brian Newberry - Football Coach
Accessed date: 2024-10-01
Direct URL: https://navysports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/brian-newberry/8131 - Organization: College Football Playoff
Article/page title: Home
Accessed date: 2024-10-01
Direct URL: https://collegefootballplayoff.com/
