President Donald Trump gathered athletes at the White House on Tuesday, May 5, to announce the return of the Presidential Fitness Test.
However, the event took a slight detour when Trump couldn’t keep his eyes, or his commentary, off professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau’s physique.
Trump restores Presidential Fitness Test
The program Trump fought to restore dates back to 1966, when schoolchildren were put through athletic tests, including sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, running and flexibility. In 2012, it was redesigned to focus on individual health rather than athletic performance.
As Trump signed the order, he called out DeChambeau, praising the golfer for his support of the reinstatement.
The compliments didn’t stop there. Trump went on to discuss the golfer’s body and his ability to build muscle.
“Bryson’s amazing. … He’s somebody that can put on 25, 30 – at one point, I guess, he put on almost 50 pounds. You remember? He looked like a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” the president gushed.
Trump praises DeChambeau’s transformation
President Donald Trump was impressed by Bryson DeChambeau’s ability to manage his weight. By: ZUMAPRESS.com/MEGA
The size eventually worked against DeChambeau on the course, Trump explained. “He had too much speed. He wanted to bring it down a little bit,” he said.
What impressed the president most was the golfer’s control over his physique. Trump compared it to a yo-yo, adding that DeChambeau does it without the help of weight-loss drugs.
“He doesn’t need the fat shot,” Trump noted, recalling that when he asked DeChambeau about it, the golfer didn’t even know what he was talking about.
“He’s like a scientist with his body. He’s a great guy, and he’s an absolute champion,” Trump added.
DeChambeau’s weight journey
Bryson DeChambeau has spoken openly about his complicated relationship with his weight. By: ZUMAPRESS.com/MEGA
DeChambeau has spoken openly about his complicated relationship with his weight throughout his career. In an August 2025 sit-down on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he looked back on the physical toll his heaviest days took on his body.
“I went from 204-5 pounds to, at my peak, I was 240. Huge. Yeah, it was brutal. I couldn’t breathe. … I always felt winded,” he recalled.
Once he slimmed back down to around 220 to 225 pounds, DeChambeau said the difference on the course was hard to ignore.
His swing speed jumped roughly 20 miles per hour, adding nearly 30 yards of carry distance — going from 298 yards to 327 or 328 yards. “It’s like 30 yards,” he said.