Trump Focuses on College Sports Over Iran Conflict

President says college athlete pay issues are 'harder' than dealing with Iran war

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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President Donald Trump convened a roundtable discussion on college sports, arguing that regulating athlete pay and other NCAA changes have 'wrecked college athletics.' Trump suggested these issues were 'harder' to deal with than the ongoing conflict with Iran, which the U.S. and Israel had launched strikes on just a week prior.

Why it matters

Trump's focus on college sports over pressing foreign policy matters like the Iran conflict raised eyebrows, as presidents are typically expected to juggle multiple complex issues simultaneously. The timing of the lengthy discussion on college athletics was particularly striking given the recent military actions against Iran.

The details

Trump spent over an hour arguing that big paydays for star athletes and changes like the NCAA transfer portal have damaged college sports. He implored members of Congress to pass the SCORE Act, which would impose new rules on college sports, and threatened to issue an executive order if the legislation didn't pass. Trump also pined for a return to the 'old system' of simple athletic scholarships without name, image and likeness rights for players.

  • The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran a week prior to the roundtable discussion.
  • Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem the day before the event.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who convened the roundtable discussion on college sports.

Nick Saban

Former Alabama football coach who participated in the roundtable.

Greg Sankey

SEC commissioner who participated in the roundtable.

Pete Bevacqua

Notre Dame's athletic director who participated in the roundtable.

Condoleezza Rice

Former Secretary of State who once served on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and participated in the roundtable.

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What they’re saying

“That's an easy problem compared to what we're doing here.”

— Donald Trump (ksgf.com)

“I'm just a football coach.”

— Nick Saban, Former Alabama football coach (ksgf.com)

“If this doesn't work, colleges are going to be destroyed.”

— Donald Trump (ksgf.com)

What’s next

Trump said he would draft an executive order on college sports if the SCORE Act legislation did not pass Congress.

The takeaway

Trump's decision to devote extensive time to discussing college sports issues over pressing foreign policy matters like the Iran conflict highlighted the president's priorities and the complex challenges facing college athletics governance.