President Donald Trump called on lawmakers Thursday to pass a bipartisan measure to “save college sports” after convening a roundtable of sports leaders earlier to come up with a solution to “fix the problem.”
According to the president, college sports have turned into professional sports without any rules.
“College Sports, a Great American Institution that produces our many Athletes, Leaders, and Olympic Dominance, is a total “mess,” and everyone is saying that it must be fixed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “After unending lawsuits and crazed rulings, there are virtually no limits anymore, and soon most Colleges won’t have Sports because each and every one of them will be bankrupt, never to be heard from again.”
Trump added that university presidents, conference commissioners, student athletes, coaches, and athletic directors have complained to him that sports have become a disaster following years of inaction. Schools have lost hundreds of millions of dollars a year, Trump said.
“They compared it to a freight train that can’t be stopped!” Trump added.
Trump signed an executive order in April 2026 aimed at “saving college sports,” pushing lawmakers to codify restrictions on player transfers, limit eligibility, and protect women’s and Olympic sports. According to the president, he signed the order based on the expertise of sports professionals, but said Thursday that a bipartisan act of Congress would be the best solution to avoid “a long and embarrassing ROAD THROUGH HELL for these Institutions.”
Trump then urged Congress to approve the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, which was introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) last week.
“College sports are at a breaking point,” Cruz said in a statement. “Fans can see their favorite teams being hollowed out by transfer chaos, fake NIL bidding wars, eligibility lawsuits, and a system that allows the richest programs to keep pulling away.”
Under the measure, student-athletes would be granted a new federal right to earn compensation for their Name, Image, and Likeness. It also guarantees scholarships for ten years after eligibility so athletes can complete their degrees, and requires Division I schools to provide medical coverage while athletes are participating in sports.
Trump said the measure resolves many of the most urgent issues and “stops the chaos” of college sports “before it’s too late.”
The president further credited the House for its work on the issue, thanking House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) for their work to find a solution to the challenges facing college sports.
