President Trump cracked a self-deprecating joke about his exercise habits Tuesday as he signed a proclamation restoring the Presidential Fitness Test award, a move that revives a tradition from the Cold War era.
Standing in the Oval Office alongside professional athletes, administration officials, and children, Trump said with a grin: “I work out so much… like about one minute a day, max, if I’m lucky.” The comment drew laughter from the room, but it also underscored the 79-year-old president’s long-standing ambivalence about formal workouts.
“These next few years will be a golden age of athletics,” Trump declared, linking his administration’s agenda to physical fitness. The ceremony marked a return of the Presidential Fitness Test, which was phased out under previous administrations. For more on the proclamation, see Trump’s revival of the fitness test.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. then turned the event into a playful moment by listing Cabinet members he considered physically fit. Recalling a story about his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, the HHS secretary said the 35th president once challenged his Cabinet to complete a 50-mile hike “to show the American people that we’re in shape.”
“This Cabinet could’ve done it. We have a bunch of thoroughbreds on this Cabinet,” Kennedy said, naming Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and others. “There’s a lot of people who could probably do a 50-mile hike.”
Trump, clearly enjoying the banter, interjected: “What about me? You didn’t mention my name.” Kennedy quickly responded, “This guy walks nine miles a day on a golf course every weekend, so he could do it in a breeze.” Trump shot back with a smile, covering his mouth: “When I’m not using a cart.”
The exchange highlighted Trump’s well-known preference for golf over gym workouts. In a 2020 social media post, he defended his golf outings as “exercise,” writing: “I play VERY fast, get a lot of work done on the golf course, and also get a ‘tiny’ bit of exercise. Not bad!” In a 2018 interview, he insisted he got “more exercise than people think,” adding, “I run over to a building next door.”
His physician at the time, Dr. Ronny Jackson, told reporters that Trump was “more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part, but we’re going to do both.” The president’s fitness habits have been a recurring topic, especially as he promotes a culture of physical activity. The broader political landscape, including potential GOP midterm losses, has also drawn attention; see O’Reilly’s warning about GOP risks.
Trump’s fitness test revival is part of a broader push to emphasize health and athleticism, even as his own routine remains a subject of lighthearted jokes. The proclamation restores a program that many Americans remember from their school days, but it also raises questions about how the president balances his public advocacy with his personal habits.
