Donald Trump Executive Order He’s Considering After Nick Saban Meeting Is Bad News for College Athletes
In a development stirring controversy across the world of college sports, former President **Donald Trump** is reportedly considering an **executive order-style policy** aimed at **regulating Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation** for college athletes — a move that sources say was influenced, in part, by a recent **private meeting with legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban
While Trump is not currently in office, insiders close to his 2024 campaign say the proposed policy could be introduced as part of his **official platform**, or even fast-tracked through executive action should he return to the White House. The policy, they say, would **roll back or restrict NIL freedoms** that athletes have enjoyed since the NCAA changed its rules in 2021, allowing them to profit from personal brand deals, endorsements, and sponsorships.
The former president reportedly met with Saban at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. Although the content of their discussion has not been made public, multiple sources claim that concerns about **chaos in college sports**, **recruitment tampering**, and the erosion of “amateurism” in NCAA athletics were central to the conversation.
Trump has since told aides and political allies that the NIL system has become a “mess” and is **“hurting college sports and creating unfair advantages”**. The language mirrors sentiments expressed by Saban in recent years. Although a supporter of athlete compensation in principle, Saban has been vocal about the unintended consequences of unregulated NIL deals, especially how they impact competitive balance and recruiting.
What we have now is not sustainable, Saban said in a 2023 interview. “It’s not about education anymore. It’s a bidding war.
If implemented, the Trump-backed policy would likely set **federal limits on NIL earnings**, restrict third-party collectives from offering upfront cash to recruits, and reassert NCAA-style guardrails on eligibility. Critics argue this would effectively reverse much of the progress athletes have made in gaining financial independence and control over their own careers.
College athletes and advocacy groups have already begun speaking out.
This is **a direct attack on athlete rights**,” said Ramogi Huma, founder of the National College Players Association (NCPA). “To strip athletes of their ability to earn income, especially when universities make millions from their talent, is outrageous.
Several high-profile college athletes also took to social media to condemn the idea, with one top quarterback prospect tweeting, “They want us to play for free again? After all the work we’ve done to get here?
Supporters of the proposal argue that without federal regulation, NIL will continue to be exploited by wealthy schools and donors, leading to an even greater imbalance between programs.
Whether you agree with Trump or not, this is a conversation that needs to happen,” said one unnamed Power Five athletic director. “The current system is unsustainable, and it’s affecting not just football and basketball, but every sport on campus.
Meanwhile, political strategists believe the move could appeal to a conservative voter base frustrated with perceived excesses in both college sports and higher education.
Trump has not officially released details of the proposed policy, but campaign insiders suggest it could be unveiled during an upcoming rally or as part of his platform for education reform. They also confirmed that more meetings with college coaches and athletic directors are being planned in the coming weeks.
As the 2024 election looms, the intersection of politics and college athletics is becoming harder to ignore. Whether Trump’s NIL policy proposal gains traction or not, it has already reignited a fierce debate about who controls the future of college sports — and what role the federal government should play.
For college athletes enjoying their first taste of financial freedom, the prospect of tighter regulation is a chilling reminder that the fight for rights in amateur sports is far from over.
