President Donald Trump’s announcement on Saturday, January 17, 2026, that he plans to sign a "Historic Executive Order" to secure an exclusive four-hour broadcast window for the Army-Navy game has sparked a mix of patriotic support and intense online criticism.
The move is seen as an unprecedented attempt by the White House to directly intervene in sports broadcasting and collegiate scheduling.
The "Exclusive" Window The President stated that under his administration, the second Saturday in December will belong "ONLY to Army-Navy." The proposed executive order would prohibit any other college football or "Commercial Postseason Games" from being broadcast during a four-hour window dedicated to the rivalry.
The Target: The order is primarily aimed at the College Football Playoff (CFP). As the playoff expands to 16 or 24 teams, organizers have considered scheduling "play-in" games or early-round matchups on that same Saturday, which has traditionally been reserved for the military academies.
The Justification: Trump framed the move as a defense of tradition against "Big TV Money," stating, "We must protect the Tradition, and the Players, who protect us."
Key Points of Criticism While many fans of the rivalry welcomed the protection of the game’s "standalone" status, the proposal drew sharp backlash for several reasons:
Legal and Constitutional Authority: Legal experts and media analysts were quick to point out that the President likely lacks the authority to dictate the programming of private networks like ESPN, TNT, or Fox. Critics cited First Amendment concerns and argued that the executive branch has no jurisdiction over the private contracts of the NCAA or television broadcasters.
Allegations of Cronyism: Online commentators highlighted that the primary beneficiary of such an order would be Paramount Global (CBS), which holds the exclusive rights to the Army-Navy game through 2038. Paramount is led by David Ellison, a known ally of the administration whose father, Larry Ellison, has close ties to the President. Critics labeled the move a "quid pro quo" to protect the business interests of political supporters.
The HBCU "Erasure": The announcement drew fire from the HBCU community. The Celebration Bowl—the national championship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities—is traditionally held on the same day. Critics argued that a "total broadcast ban" for other games would effectively "erase" one of the most significant days in HBCU sports.
Questionable Priorities: With the ongoing federal "occupation" of Minneapolis, tensions in Venezuela, and the looming Greenland dispute, many users on social media mocked the President for spending political capital on a "football time slot."
The Timing The announcement appeared to be a tactical "shot across the bow" for college football leaders. It came just days before a January 23rd deadline set by ESPN for conference commissioners to agree on a new playoff expansion format. By issuing t
00:00President Donald Trump has announced plans to issue an executive order aimed at securing a dedicated national broadcast window for the annual Army-Navy football game.
00:09In a post shared on his Truth Social account Saturday night, Trump said the order would mandate an exclusive four-hour television time slot for the matchup, preventing other college football games from airing simultaneously.
00:19He described the Army-Navy game as a long-standing national tradition and said it should not be overshadowed by college playoff programming.
00:25The Army-Navy game is scheduled for December 12, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
00:31The contest is held each December between cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.
00:39Trump said the announcement served as notice to television networks that the second Saturday in December would be reserved solely for the game.
00:45CBS has broadcast the Army-Navy game since 1996 and currently holds exclusive rights through 2038.
00:51The network's agreement contributes a significant portion of the annual athletic budgets for both service academies, according to industry reporting.
00:58Legal experts have raised questions about whether such an executive order would be enforceable.
01:02Specialists in telecommunications law have noted that federal authority over broadcast scheduling is limited and that such mandates could conflict with existing regulations and constitutional protections.
01:11The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions about expanding the college football playoff, which has led to suggestions that the Army-Navy game could be moved to a different date or aired alongside other games.
01:21Last season's matchup was among the most-watched college football broadcasts of the year.
01:25Trump attended the Army-Navy game last month in Baltimore, where Navy defeated Army 17-16.
01:30He participated in the ceremonial coin toss and has attended the event multiple times during his public life.
01:35Brendan Carr, the Federal Communications Commission chairman appointed by Trump, shared the president's announcement online.
01:41While the FCC oversees broadcast television, it does not regulate cable or streaming platforms.
01:46Trump is scheduled to attend a college football playoff event in Florida this week.
01:50Decisions regarding potential playoff expansion are expected later this month.
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