Trump Declares War on 'Big TV' to Save Army-Navy Game Tradition

Paul Riverbank, 1/18/2026President Trump vows to protect the Army-Navy game's exclusive spotlight, pledging executive action to defend its storied tradition from encroaching playoff schedules and TV money—a sharp clash of values between heritage and college football’s evolving commercial landscape.

Former President Donald Trump made it clear where he stands on all this. Logging onto his favorite social platform, he fired off a missive: “The Army-Navy Game is one of our Greatest American Traditions—Unmatched Patriotism, Courage, and Honor!” For him, what’s at stake goes beyond bragging rights or conference trophies. In Trump’s view, the very heart of this tradition is under siege by college football’s latest shuffle—a push to expand the NCAA playoff system, which threatens to elbow the Army-Navy match-up from its signature slot on the second Saturday of December.

It’s not hard to see where Trump’s coming from. In recent years, football fans have noticed the game bumping up against bowl contests that used to stay well out of its way. Just this past season, the LA Bowl overlapped with Army-Navy, a scheduling move that had been rare. Now, as conferences squabble—some angling for a 16-team playoff, others for even more—the atmosphere is restless. Every time networks or league officials toy with new postseason ideas, the shadow of “big TV money” looms larger.

Trump, never one to shy away from theatrical language, framed the issue in stark terms. He offered a spirited promise: if he gets his way, no playoff or bowl will ever trespass on the hallowed Army-Navy time window. He even pledged an executive order, vowing an uninterrupted four-hour broadcast, free from any competing college football games, bowl or otherwise. A bold move, to say the least—and one that instantly launched a flurry of legal head-scratching. Could a president really dictate what private TV networks put on air, especially with long-term contracts already signed? That question, for now, remains unanswered.

But the political point is less about legal details and more about a battle of values—tradition versus profit, ceremony versus saturation. For cadets and midshipmen, the Army-Navy Game is where they trade in the usual college football fandom for something that feels closer to a rite of passage. On-field, they’re fierce competitors. But as Trump and countless others are fond of saying, they’ll soon be teammates in a far more consequential arena, serving side by side.

Tim Pernetti, heading up the American Conference, sized it up best: “It’s a national treasure.” For years, the event has stood apart, steering clear of the postseason din, drawing the country's gaze to one field and one story. The idea was simple—let Army-Navy have its moment, unchallenged. As playoff expansion looms and television contracts churn, the waters threaten to get muddier.

The broadcast rights, by the way, are locked up with CBS Sports until 2038—a detail many forget in the swirl of rhetoric. Could a presidential directive even override such a private deal? Legal experts aren’t rushing to offer a simple yes or no, though several privately roll their eyes at the idea.

Still, it’s hard to overstate just how much pageantry is at stake. Every December, as the weather turns sharp and the academic calendars flutter toward finals, fans across the country—whether in Army green or Navy blue—pause to watch the only game of its kind. The stands might be packed with family and friends, but there's a sense that the country is peering in, if just for a few hours.

Negotiations between the major conferences—the SEC, the Big Ten, and others—still hang in the air. If they can't hash out playoff expansion soon, the current 12-team format stays put for another season. All the while, tradition is on the line: will Army-Navy remain a solitary spectacle, or be just another contest vying for ratings against a blizzard of postseason games?

In the end, with or without executive orders, Army-Navy always finds a way. The uniforms, the pageantry, the hush during the anthem—it all returns every December, undiminished by boardroom debates or campaign pledges. For a few winter hours, national attention shifts, and the game reminds us that in sports, as in service, sometimes the oldest traditions have the most to say.

It’s a brisk December afternoon, the kind that brings out the routine: boots crunching outside West Point, midshipmen bundled up and swapping good-natured barbs as the Army-Navy game draws near. There aren’t many institutions in America that manage to blend deep-seated rivalry with the kind of mutual respect you find on that field. If you’re flipping through the channels, you might not realize at first glance—this isn’t just any college football game; in some circles, it’s a ritual as constant as Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July.Former President Donald Trump made it clear where he stands on all this. Logging onto his favorite social platform, he fired off a missive: “The Army-Navy Game is one of our Greatest American Traditions—Unmatched Patriotism, Courage, and Honor!” For him, what’s at stake goes beyond bragging rights or conference trophies. In Trump’s view, the very heart of this tradition is under siege by college football’s latest shuffle—a push to expand the NCAA playoff system, which threatens to elbow the Army-Navy match-up from its signature slot on the second Saturday of December.It’s not hard to see where Trump’s coming from. In recent years, football fans have noticed the game bumping up against bowl contests that used to stay well out of its way. Just this past season, the LA Bowl overlapped with Army-Navy, a scheduling move that had been rare. Now, as conferences squabble—some angling for a 16-team playoff, others for even more—the atmosphere is restless. Every time networks or league officials toy with new postseason ideas, the shadow of “big TV money” looms larger.Trump, never one to shy away from theatrical language, framed the issue in stark terms. He offered a spirited promise: if he gets his way, no playoff or bowl will ever trespass on the hallowed Army-Navy time window. He even pledged an executive order, vowing an uninterrupted four-hour broadcast, free from any competing college football games, bowl or otherwise. A bold move, to say the least—and one that instantly launched a flurry of legal head-scratching. Could a president really dictate what private TV networks put on air, especially with long-term contracts already signed? That question, for now, remains unanswered.But the political point is less about legal details and more about a battle of values—tradition versus profit, ceremony versus saturation. For cadets and midshipmen, the Army-Navy Game is where they trade in the usual college football fandom for something that feels closer to a rite of passage. On-field, they’re fierce competitors. But as Trump and countless others are fond of saying, they’ll soon be teammates in a far more consequential arena, serving side by side.Tim Pernetti, heading up the American Conference, sized it up best: “It’s a national treasure.” For years, the event has stood apart, steering clear of the postseason din, drawing the country's gaze to one field and one story. The idea was simple—let Army-Navy have its moment, unchallenged. As playoff expansion looms and television contracts churn, the waters threaten to get muddier.The broadcast rights, by the way, are locked up with CBS Sports until 2038—a detail many forget in the swirl of rhetoric. Could a presidential directive even override such a private deal? Legal experts aren’t rushing to offer a simple yes or no, though several privately roll their eyes at the idea.Still, it’s hard to overstate just how much pageantry is at stake. Every December, as the weather turns sharp and the academic calendars flutter toward finals, fans across the country—whether in Army green or Navy blue—pause to watch the only game of its kind. The stands might be packed with family and friends, but there's a sense that the country is peering in, if just for a few hours.Negotiations between the major conferences—the SEC, the Big Ten, and others—still hang in the air. If they can't hash out playoff expansion soon, the current 12-team format stays put for another season. All the while, tradition is on the line: will Army-Navy remain a solitary spectacle, or be just another contest vying for ratings against a blizzard of postseason games?In the end, with or without executive orders, Army-Navy always finds a way. The uniforms, the pageantry, the hush during the anthem—it all returns every December, undiminished by boardroom debates or campaign pledges. For a few winter hours, national attention shifts, and the game reminds us that in sports, as in service, sometimes the oldest traditions have the most to say.