President Donald Trump has signed an executive order introducing federal oversight on large recruiting payments in U.S. college sports, particularly football and men’s basketball. The measure seeks to curb third-party payouts from donors to athletes, aiming to protect funding for women’s and non-revenue sports while clarifying the legal status of student-athletes.
While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) already prohibits such payments, donors have exploited loopholes amid the surge in name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. The White House clarified the order does not restrict fair-market NIL compensation, such as brand endorsements or autograph signings. Federal agencies will now devise enforcement strategies, leveraging regulatory and funding mechanisms, though specific implementation remains uncertain.
The move follows major shifts in college sports since 2021, when the NCAA first allowed NIL monetization. In March 2025, restrictions preventing athletes from negotiating NIL deals before enrollment were lifted after an antitrust settlement with state attorneys general. The White House argues this evolving NIL landscape has created financial instability in college athletics.
Experts anticipate legal challenges, with critics arguing the order may infringe on athletes’ rights under antitrust law. Michael LeRoy, a labor law professor, noted the NCAA’s refusal to recognize athletes as employees or allow collective bargaining as a core issue.
NCAA President Charlie Baker welcomed federal attention, urging bipartisan legislation to address structural threats to college sports. The order is Trump’s latest intervention in athletics, following directives on transgender participation in women’s sports and funding disputes with elite universities.
This executive action could reshape college sports economics, influencing scholarship allocations and the broader NIL market while intensifying debates over amateurism and athlete compensation.


Trump Sues BBC for Defamation Over Edited Capitol Riot Speech Clip
Ukraine’s NATO Concession Unlikely to Shift Peace Talks, Experts Say
U.S. Suspends UK Technology Deal Amid Trade Disputes Under Trump Administration
Belarus Frees Opposition Leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka in U.S.-Brokered Deal
Native American Groups Slam Trump’s Call to Restore Redskins Name
Trump Booed at Club World Cup Final, Praises Pele as Soccer’s GOAT
International Outcry Grows Over Re-Arrest of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi in Iran
Federal Judge Orders Restoration of SEVIS Status for Tufts PhD Student Rumeysa Ozturk
Trump Signs Executive Order to Establish National AI Regulation Standard
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership
Global Leaders Condemn Deadly Antisemitic Shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah
China Adds Domestic AI Chips to Government Procurement List as U.S. Considers Easing Nvidia Export Curbs
Trump Weighs Reclassifying Marijuana as Schedule III, Potentially Transforming U.S. Cannabis Industry
U.S. Soldiers Killed in ISIS Attack in Palmyra, Syria During Counterterrorism Mission
Trump Criticizes EU’s €120 Million Fine on Elon Musk’s X Platform
Trump Administration Fuel-Efficiency Rollback Could Raise Long-Term Costs for U.S. Drivers 



