>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
Kennedy didn’t sugarcoat his point:
“My uncle and my father believed strongly that American democracy and the taming of the American wilderness and the achievements of our country were related to the strength, both the physical strength and the moral strength of America. That we had this kind of beef jerky toughness that allowed us to conquer the frontier.”
And in a warning that should make every parent think twice, Kennedy added:
“And that we were losing that advantage, that we were going soft. And that’s what happened in ancient Rome prior to the collapse of the Roman Empire.”
The moment Kennedy made his case, the media’s damage control machine roared to life. The Washington Post tried to smear the test as “public shaming of children” that’s “embarrassing, humiliating and traumatizing.”
These are the same people who hand out participation trophies like candy and call it “character building.”
Kennedy cut through their nonsense with one sharp truth:
“Competition is part of life.”
He elaborated:
“We have to – I think parents have to be sensitive about how their children process experience, but they can’t tell them that life is not going to be hard and that life is not a competition. It is a competition. And if we want to prepare children for a future, if we want to prepare – if we want a country that is strong in the world, we need kids who are willing to compete.”
And yes, that means kids will sometimes fail. As Kennedy bluntly said:
“And a lot of times that involves failure and it may sometimes involve embarrassment. That’s part of life.”
Fox host Martha MacCallum nailed the point:
“Embarrassment can sometimes be a motivator.”
Kennedy also hit Democrats where it hurts — with cold, hard facts.
“Right now the average American kid is spending seven hours in front of his screen a day.”
Seven. Hours. Every. Day. That’s time their grandparents spent working, building, competing, and thriving. The results? Childhood obesity at record highs, youth depression surging, and U.S. kids falling behind in global fitness rankings.
Kennedy connected the dots:
“The sedentary lifestyle is contributing to the malaise, the spiritual malaise that we have in this country. The emotional and depressive state that so many of our kids are in, you need to get out, do competitive sports, work with teamwork, work with other kids.”
His prescription couldn’t be simpler:
“Move a muscle, change a thought. If you want to get out of a bad mood, go out and do something physical.”
President Trump isn’t just reinstating the fitness test — he’s reviving a culture of grit.
“The order that I’ll sign today in a few moments, directs the council to develop strategies to improve America’s physical fitness and renew the American spirit, excellence, competitiveness and sportsmanship.”
From the late 1950s until Obama axed it, the test was a rite of passage for American kids. That patch meant something.
“We got a certificate, we got a commendation, we got the patch to wear. And those were all – those were all emblems of honor,” Kennedy recalled.
The Left’s outrage proves exactly why this matters. They’d rather see children coddled, glued to screens, and emotionally fragile than face the reality of competition.
Trump and Kennedy see it differently — they want strong kids, strong families, and a strong America.
The truth is, the “beef jerky toughness” that tamed the frontier won’t be built in safe spaces or earned with participation trophies. It’s forged through challenge, competition, and yes — failure.
The Presidential Fitness Test is coming back. The Left can cry about it all they want. America’s children will be better for it.
