Leaders within the sports world are thanking President Trump for taking executive action to restore order to college sports.
On April 3, 2026, President Trump issued the Urgent National Action to Save College Sports Order. The order attempted to address the problem of inconsistent standards between states governing athlete compensation and eligibility.
According to the executive order, “the rules governing pay-for-play, eligibility, and other aspects of college athletics have been substantially loosened through a number of judicial rulings.” In addition, State legislatures have nullified rules attempting to achieve consistent standards, which has caused a “chaotic state of affairs,” and impacted the opportunities available for student athletes.
The order directs the Attorney General to review state-level legislation and take “appropriate measures” to address conflicts between state laws and the standards set by interstate governing bodies.
Legendary sports figures and leaders have expressed strong support for the order and congratulated President Trump for taking decisive action.
Charlie Baker, President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), described the order as an important step and emphasized the need to continue making progress through legislative action. “This action is a significant step forward, and we appreciate the Administration’s interest and attention to these issues,” Baker said. “Stabilizing college athletics for student-athletes still requires a permanent, bipartisan federal legislative solution, so we look forward to continuing to work alongside the Administration and Congress to enact targeted legislation with the support of student-athlete leaders from all three divisions.”
Nick Saban, the former head football coach at the University of Alabama, praised President Trump for addressing issues that have arisen in college sports. “President Trump’s executive order today is a critical step towards restoring stability in college sports,” Saban said. “I thank the President for his leadership on this important issue, as ensuring the long-term health of college athletics should be in the interest of all Americans.”
President Trump also received positive feedback from leaders in professional sports. President of the New York Yankees, Randy Levine, described the order as a needed act of leadership within the sports world. “The President was asked to show leadership in solving this seemingly unsolvable problem, and as you can see from today, he is well on his way to doing so,” Levine said. “We thank the President for his continued leadership on such an important issue.”
