Trump urges Congress to pass NIL regulations for NCAA: ‘Last chance to save college sports’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump threw his backing behind the Protect College Sports Act, a Senate proposal aimed at setting up a federal rulebook for NCAA athletics.

He’s urging lawmakers to move fast enough to land it on his desk this summer.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the current landscape as a “total mess” and said that “everyone is saying that it must be fixed.”

He warned that unchecked lawsuits and shifting rulings have created a system where “there are virtually no limits anymore,” predicting that “soon most Colleges won’t have Sports because each and every one of them will be bankrupt, never to be heard from again.”

“Women’s Sports, and the Olympics itself, are in the most danger from this catastrophic situation," Trump said, before doubling down on the urgency. “This Law resolves many of the most urgent issues challenging our Universities and Student-Athletes, stops the chaos and, most importantly, it may be the last chance to save College Sports, and Colleges themselves, before it’s too late.”

Bipartisan push in Congress

The Senate bill, backed by Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and ranking Democrat Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), would establish national standards for college athletics. This includes limits on transfers, restrictions on mid-season coaching moves, and formalized protections around “name, image, and likeness” deals.

Trump also thanked Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP Leader Steve Scalise for what he called efforts to “fix this very major problem,” while pushing both chambers to unify behind a single bipartisan deal. 

He described the current situation as a “ROAD THROUGH HELL,” and said college sports are drifting toward something resembling pro leagues, “except with absolutely no rules.”

“College Sports are turning into Pro Sports, except with absolutely no rules, a result no one wants. University Presidents, Conference Commissioners, Student-Athletes, Coaches, and Athletic Directors all complained to me that it has become a disaster, after years of no action, and that Schools were losing Hundreds of Millions of Dollars a year,” the president said. “They compared it to a freight train that can’t be stopped!”

Senate momentum builds as House effort collapses

The Senate push picked up steam after the House-backed SCORE Act fell apart, despite early momentum.

One key blow came when members of the Congressional Black Caucus. They were initially instrumental in advancing the bill, but pulled support amid tensions tied to redistricting battles in several Southern states.

Meanwhile, the SCORE Act included language blocking college athletes from ever being classified as employees. It was a point of major contention between competing proposals.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Big Ten, two of college sports’ financial heavyweights, came out against the Senate version, arguing it fails to “meaningfully preempt the patchwork of state laws or provide the protections needed to make and enforce consistent rules.” Both leagues had previously backed the House version.

On Capitol Hill, Cruz framed the Senate bill as the only viable path forward.

“The House of Representatives tried multiple times to pass a bill. Unfortunately, it failed,” Cruz said at the hearing. “The Protect College Sports Act is the only bipartisan bill. It is the last best hope we have to save college for us.”