President Donald Trump in February changed the name of a well-known Health and Human Services Dept. committee focused on children’s health, but has never appointed anyone to it. Trump changed the name of what was the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition to the “President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.”
He literally took the time to swap two words, issuing an executive order revoking an earlier executive order issued by then-President Barack Obama.
The Obama order changed there name to add the word “Nutrition,” a focus championed by First Lady Michelle Obama. She was a strong advocate for the Council and toured the country with her “Let’s Move!” campaign.
“The Council shall be composed of up to 30 members,” Trump’s executive order notes. Yet after almost 15 months in office, the President has not appointed a single person to it.
The Council has been all but dormant. It has never had a meeting during Trump’s tenure. Its last blog post was January 3, 2018. The logo (above), however, was updated.
There is a Presidential Champions program, “a physical activity awards program designed to motivate individuals to make regular physical activity a permanent part of a healthy, active lifestyle.” It’s being discontinued in June.
There are supposed to be annual Council Awards, “for those who have contributed in various ways to the advancement or promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports, or nutrition nationwide.” None have been given during Trump’s tenure.
Raw Story’s Brad Reed reported on Monday this tweet from the First Daughter and Senior Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump on Sunday:
Reed notes Ivanka Trump “showed ignorance of federal child nutrition and fitness programs that her own father has short changed,” and points to this response decimating her, from Ret. Gen. Mark Hertlin.