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Chairman Donald Trump signed the “Preserving America’s Game” executive order on Friday, which promises to keep the annual Army-Navy game a standalone event during the college football season.
Trump signed the order during the Midshipmen’s visit to the White House on Friday to celebrate their Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy victory, which is given to either the Army, Navy or Air Force if either team goes 2-0 against the other opponents during the season.
However, Stephen A. Smith was not keen on the move.
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United States President Donald Trump displays an executive order he signed titled “Preserving America’s Game” to preserve the broadcast time of the Army-Navy football game during a ceremony awarding the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the Navy Midshipmen football team in the East Room of the White House on March 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
“It’s stuff like this from the president of the United States that makes me mad. And he’s sticking his nose in places that I don’t think the president of the United States should be sticking his nose in,” Smith said during his SiriusXM show Friday afternoon on Mad Dog Sports Radio, via Awful Announcing.
“Who the hell does this man think he is? Every single time I try to be fair and fair-minded to this president, he pulls some BS like this. It really pisses me off. It really pisses me off. Who the hell does he think he is? If the Army and Navy game is on NBC, should FOX and CBS be barred from having its own content on its network because he wants anything, because the president wants anything, because he wants any order? Army-Navy that he wants to focus on Army-Navy What if they don’t want to see Army-Navy.
“Who the hell does he think he is?! That’s the kind of BS that’s got our country in a tizzy right now. That right there. Because you’re overstepping your damn limits. Don’t you have enough things to focus on? Now you’re trying to tell us what damn football games to watch?! Who the hell does he think he is?!”
President Donald Trump looks on before the U.S. Army-Navy college football game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland on December 13, 2025. (Alex WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
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With the current College Football Playoff schedule, the Army-Navy game is currently sandwiched between conference championship weekend and the first weekend of the 12-team playoff. However, potential expansion could lead to earlier games. The Army-Navy game is set to air on CBS until 2038.
Navy defeated Army in a thrilling 17-16 victory to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in December during a historic season in which the program finished 11-2, marking the team’s first back-to-back 10-win seasons in program history.
“The annual Army-Navy game is truly one of the most special occasions in all of sports, but in recent years, the College Football Playoff expansion has encroached on this sacred four-hour time traditionally reserved for Army-Navy,” the president said during his speech Friday. “I’m going to sign an executive order to ensure that the second Saturday in December is preserved exclusively. Nobody plays football — not Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, not LSU vs. Alabama — nobody gets to play football for four hours during that very special time of year in December. It’s preserved forever for the Army and Navy game.”
Earlier this month, Trump held a roundtable to try to combat the effects of the NIL in college sports.
Trump joked that the consequences of signing the executive order could result in a lawsuit.
“Obviously we’re probably going to get sued at some point. We’re going to get sued, but we win those cases and we’re winning this one.”
President Donald Trump walks onto the field with Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, left, and Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, right, unseen, before the start of the 126th Army-Navy NCAA college football game at M&T Bank Stadium, 2015, Saturday, De Balc Stadium, 2015, Saturday. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Trump first signaled his intentions to sign the executive order in a Truth Social post in January, saying at the time, “This incredible tradition is now at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games and Big TV Money. DON’T LEARN!”
