💪 Plus: Presidential fitness test | Thursday, July 31, 2025
| | | | | | | Axios PM | | By Mike Allen · Jul 31, 2025 | | Happy Friday Jr. Today's newsletter, edited by Natalie Daher, is 488 words, a 2-min. read. Thanks to Sheryl Miller for copy editing. | | | | | | 1 big thing: 💪 Youth fitness test is back | | |  | | | Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios | | | | 🏃🏽♀️The Presidential Fitness Test is coming back to public schools after it was phased out more than a decade ago, the White House announced today. - The test — featuring challenges like a 1-mile run, pull-ups and the sit-and-reach — was once a rite of passage for America's youth, Axios' April Rubin writes.
- It was also a source of anxiety and shame for more than a few kids, who ended up feeling like they weren't strong enough for the president's purposes.
Flashback: President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the test in 1956 to assess cardiovascular fitness, upper body and core strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility. - The test was launched out of panic over American children being less fit than Europeans, Vox reported.
🫁 President Obama replaced the test after the 2012-13 school year and instituted the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, putting more emphasis on students' health rather than performance. - During a late-afternoon ceremony at the White House, President Trump is expected to sign an order restoring the test.
Share this story. |     | | | | | | 2. 🏛️ Trump to build White House ballroom | | | | Rendering: The White House The White House announced that a ballroom construction project will begin in September. - "It is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump's term," the announcement says.
💰Trump "and other patriot donors" are committing approximately $200 million to the project. - The Secret Service will also "provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications," per the release.
Rendering: The White House Between the lines: The White House Ballroom's "theme and architectural heritage" will be almost identical to that of the main building. - It will be "substantially separated" from the main building and sit "where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits."
Rendering: The White House Read the release. | | | | | | | | 3. Catch me up | | | | Cover: Simon & Schuster - 📕 Former VP Kamala Harris will release a presidential campaign memoir, "107 Days," detailing her historic run, on Sept. 23. Harris will appear tonight on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Go deeper ... Watch her announcement video.
- 👀 President Trump is expected to approve a new Gaza humanitarian aid plan tomorrow after his envoy Steve Witkoff visits the enclave and briefs him about the situation. Go deeper.
- 🏦 Goldman Sachs tapped Michael Thompson, a veteran GOP operative, to lead the firm's efforts on public policy and regulatory affairs. He replaces longtime chief global lobbyist Michael Paese, who'll become a senior adviser at the firm. Go deeper.
| | | | | | | | 4. ☕ 1 coffee thing: Where oat is GOAT | | |  Data: Square. Map: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios New Mexico, Maine and Oregon had the highest shares of coffee orders with oat milk in May, Alex Fitzpatrick writes from new Square data. - 🙅♀️ Coffee drinkers in Wyoming, Mississippi and Louisiana are holding off.
That's based on over 5 million coffee orders at restaurants using Square, and reflects oat milk's share of all orders with any kind of milk. - 📉 The average added cost of oat milk fell from 67¢ in January to 65¢ in June.
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