President Trump signed an executive order on Friday designed to give the NCAA greater authority over college athletics and to pressure institutions that violate key rules. The directive asks federal agencies to review whether breaches of core college-sports regulations — including rules on transfers, eligibility and pay-for-play — should make a university ineligible for federal grants and contracts, the White House said in its fact sheet.
The order seeks clearer eligibility standards, including a proposed five-year participation window, more structured transfer policies, better medical care for student-athletes, protections against abusive agent behavior, and explicit assurances for women’s and Olympic sports. It also urges Congress to enact legislation to address these issues.
A primary target is the current name, image and likeness (NIL) framework, which some Division I athletes can use to receive direct payments from colleges after a court settlement. That settlement, totaling $2.8 billion, was applied retroactively and covers NIL opportunities from 2016 to 2025, potentially exposing some schools to substantial payouts. Trump has repeatedly criticized the NIL system, saying it has harmed college sports and disadvantaged smaller schools that cannot match large compensation offers to top recruits.
At a college sports roundtable in March, Trump promised a broad executive order intended to spur congressional action. The administration continues to press for standardized NIL rules; proposed legislation such as the stalled SCORE Act in the House sought to regulate NIL-tied compensation and strengthen student-athlete protections.
Supporters of the measure argue federal leverage is necessary to restore consistent standards and defend collegiate athletics and Olympic development pipelines. Critics warn the move could encroach on institutional autonomy and that conditioning federal grants risks politicizing college-sports policy. The White House framed the order as an urgent national step “to save college sports.”