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Trump signs executive order to protect Army-Navy game from CFP conflicts

President Donald Trump signed the 'Preserving America's Game' executive order Friday, protecting the Army-Navy game's December time slot from CFP broadcast conflicts.

American Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti praised President Donald Trump after Trump signed an executive order to protect the exclusive broadcasting window for the annual Army-Navy football game.

Pernetti expressed the conference's "deep gratitude" for the order.

"The American Conference is deeply grateful to President Trump for his strong leadership in issuing the historic executive order to preserve America’s Game," Pernetti said in a statement.

"This is a meaningful step that protects a cherished national tradition and reinforces what makes the Army-Navy Game so special to our country.

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President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order during the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy presentation with the Navy Midshipmen football team in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

"The Army-Navy Game represents far more than football. It honors our service academies, highlights the character and commitment of our future leaders and brings Americans together around values that matter deeply, including service and sacrifice.

"This executive order is a positive step for the sport, for our service academies and for the enduring legacy of America’s Game. We are proud to be a part of the team working to protect it."

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President Donald Trump is escorted onto the field to take part in the ceremonial coin toss before the start of a game between Army and Navy at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Dec. 13, 2025. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)

Trump signed the order Friday as he presented the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the Navy football team in the East Room of the White House. The order directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Commerce to coordinate with relevant parties, including the NCAA, the College Football Playoff (CFP) and broadcast partners, to secure an exclusive broadcast window for the standalone game.

The executive order came amid growing concerns that an expanding College Football Playoff calendar could encroach on the game's traditional date, which since 2009 has been played exclusively on the second Saturday in December.

The classic rivalry, first played in 1890, has been played annually since 1930 and typically draws 7 million to 8 million viewers, making it one of the highest-rated regular-season games in college football. The current television agreement with CBS Sports runs through 2038.

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President Donald Trump tosses a coin before a game between the Army and Navy in Baltimore Dec. 13, 2025.  (Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump, who has attended multiple Army-Navy games as president, framed the move in January as an act of patriotism, writing on social media, "Under my Administration, the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy!"

As the postseason structure of college football continues to evolve, this executive order signals a significant commitment by the administration to maintain the standalone grandeur of a matchup defined by the phrase "sing second."

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