Trump signs executive order to ‘protect’ annual Army-Navy football game

• President Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing other college football games from airing during the annual Army-Navy game.
• “Nobody’s going to play football for four hours during that very special time of the year, in December. It’s preserved forever for the Army-Navy game,” Trump said ahead of the signing.
• Trump signed the order at the White House while presenting the commander-in-chief trophy to the Navy football team on Friday.
• Its stated purpose is to protect the national focus on Military Service Academies and prevent scheduling conflicts that detract from the focus. “Such scheduling conflicts weaken the national focus on our Military Service Academies and detract from a morale-building event of vital interest to the Department of War,” the order reads. “Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that no college football game, specifically college football’s CFP or other postseason games, be broadcast in a manner that directly conflicts with the Army‑Navy Game.”
• The executive order is expected to face legal challenges, though lawmakers from both parties have advocated for college football leadership to honor the exclusive broadcast slot.