WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will sign an executive order creating an exclusive four-hour broadcast window for the annual Army-Navy football game, barring any other college or professional sporting events from airing during the matchup’s timeslot.
Calling the rivalry “one of our greatest American traditions,” Trump said the move ensures the storied game between the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy remains a centerpiece of the nation’s sports calendar. “The second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy,” Trump declared in a statement. “This National Event stands above commercial postseason games. No other game or team can violate this time slot.”
The order, expected to be signed in the coming days, would formally designate a protected national broadcast period for the Army-Navy game, typically held at 3 p.m. Eastern. The White House described the measure as a response to what it called “encroachment” by expanding college football playoff scheduling and the influence of major television networks.
In his remarks, Trump emphasized the game’s patriotic significance. “On the field, they are rivals, but on the battlefield they are America’s unstoppable patriots,” he said. “We must protect the tradition, and the players, who protect us.”
The Army-Navy game, first played in 1890, has long been recognized for its pageantry and symbolic unity, with cadets and midshipmen filling stadiums in full dress uniform. It remains one of the few major sporting events largely free of commercial excess or playoff implications, serving instead as a tribute to service members nationwide.
It is not yet clear how the executive order would be enforced or whether it could supersede existing broadcast contracts. Legal experts note that while the president can direct federal agencies regarding national events, regulating private broadcast scheduling may face constitutional and contractual hurdles.
Still, Trump’s declaration has drawn strong support from veterans’ groups and service academies, which have praised the move as a reaffirmation of the game’s historic importance.
