The move would benefit Paramount, led by Trump ally David Ellison, which has exclusive broadcast rights to the Army-Navy game.
If President Donald Trump has his druthers, the annual Army-Navy football game wouldn’t have any competition from College Football Playoff games. In a Truth Social post on Saturday night, Trump vowed to sign an executive order giving the Army-Navy game an exclusive broadcast window.
“The Army-Navy Game is one of our Greatest American Traditions — Unmatched Patriotism, Courage, and Honor!” Trump wrote in his post. “This incredible Tradition is now at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games, and Big TV Money. NOT ANYMORE!”
He went on: “Under my Administration, the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy! I will soon sign a Historic Executive Order securing an EXCLUSIVE 4 hour Broadcast window, so this National Event stands above Commercial Postseason Games. No other Game or Team can violate this Time Slot!!!”
Of the Army and Navy athletes, Trump wrote, “On the field, they are rivals, but on the battlefield they are America’s unstoppable Patriots, defending our Country with tremendous Strength and Heart. We must protect the Tradition, and the Players, who protect us. Please let this serve as Notice to ALL Television Networks, Stations, and Outlets. God Bless America, and God Bless our great Army-Navy Game!!!”
It’s unclear if such an executive order could be enforced legally, as The Hollywood Reporter notes. But an exclusive broadcast window for the Army-Navy game would be a detriment to Disney’s ESPN — which has exclusive rights to the College Football Playoff games through the 2031–2032 season — as well as Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT — which sublicenses select CFP games from ESPN.
Meanwhile, THR adds, Paramount — whose chief executive is Trump ally David Ellison — would benefit from such an executive order. CBS and Paramount+, both Paramount subsidiaries, have the exclusive rights to the annual showdown between the Army Black Knights of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and the Navy Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
The latest Army-Navy game — in which the Navy beat the Army 17–16 on December 13, 2025 — scored an average of 7.84 million viewers, according to the game’s official website.
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Category: General Sports
