President Donald Trump claims he will sign an executive order to keep the annual Army-Navy college football game in an exclusive time slot, protecting it from any potential College Football Playoff expansion.
“The Army-Navy Game is one of our Greatest American Traditions – Unmatched Patriotism, Courage, and Honor! This incredible Tradition is now at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games, and Big TV Money. NOT ANYMORE!” President Trump wrote via his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday, January 17.
He continued, “Under my Administration, the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy! I will soon sign a Historic Executive Order securing an EXCLUSIVE 4 hour Broadcast window, so this National Event stands above Commercial Postseason Games. No other Game or Team can violate this Time Slot!!! On the field, they are rivals, but on the battlefield they are America’s unstoppable Patriots, defending our Country with tremendous Strength and Heart. We must protect the Tradition, and the Players, who protect us. Please let this serve as Notice to ALL Television Networks, Stations, and Outlets. God Bless America, and God Bless our great Army-Navy Game!!!”
The Navy Athletics official X account reposted the President’s message, seemingly in support of the future order.
The College Football Playoff committee is scheduled to meet on Sunday, January 18, to decide if the playoff field will be expanded from 12 teams to 16 next year, potentially forcing another game to be played during the Army-Navy matchup.
If the field expands to 16 teams, there could be two games played in the opening round, which will fall on the second weekend of December (the same day that Army-Navy plays each year).
There is also discussion of doubling the size of the College Football Playoff bracket, all the way to 24 teams.
If no decision is made on Sunday, the College Football Playoff bracket will remain at 12 teams next season.
Various outlets have reported that members of the committee are already thinking about how to expand the College Football Playoff while working around the Army-Navy game, with or without the influence of a potential presidential executive order.
Whether or not President Trump has the power to guarantee an exclusive timeslot for the game is unclear, but he is no stranger to executive orders. President Trump set a record for most executive orders issued in his first 100 days of the presidency after his second term began in January 2025.
CBS Sports — which holds the broadcasting rights for the Army-Navy game until 2038 — previously reported that some proposals to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams would include moving the Army-Navy game to the first Saturday in December, rather than the second.
The Army-Navy game has been played every year since 1930, with the first iteration of the rivalry in 1890.
Last year’s game — won 17-16 by Navy — was played at the same time as the LA Bowl between Washington and Boise State, which is reportedly the exception. President Trump was in attendance.
He is also expected to attend the College Football National Championship Game in Miami on Monday, January 19, between Indiana University and the University of Miami.
