Donald Trump’s executive order put forth a 30-day plan directing his Cabinet to safeguard the educational integrity of college sports, explicitly banning third-party pay-for-play deals and conditioning federal funding on athletic compliance. That means more shady NIL bag drops, at least, not without a fight. The order praises fair-market endorsements but comes down hard on anything resembling a salary disguised in a brand deal. That alone would’ve stirred the pot, but what came next made it clear that this wasn’t going unanswered.
The Power 5, in a rare show of unity, the Autonomy 5 conferences dropped a joint statement hours after the executive order went public. On July 24, Branden Marcello dropped a screenshot of the “statement from the Autonomy 5 conferences on President Trump’s executive order” on college sports on X. “We appreciate President Trump’s commitment to protecting the future of college athletics,” the statement began. “This executive order builds on the momentum created by the bipartisan SCORE Act, which will provide long-term stability to college sports and expand resources to support the overall well-being of student-athletes.” And then it pivoted to reinforce what’s really on their mind, which is federal legislation.
Statement from the Autonomy 5 conferences on President Trump’s executive order. pic.twitter.com/vnYcrARUgL
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) July 24, 2025
“With the House settlement now in effect, student-athletes have more financial and academic support than ever before,” the statement continued. “Now, attention turns to preserving these monumental gains by passing a federal law with national standards for student-athletes’ NIL rights. We hope Congress sends federal legislation to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible.” So while Donald Trump may have issued the order, the Power 5 essentially replied that they already have a playbook in motion.
Behind closed doors, there’s more at stake. The House v. NCAA settlement is active, granting up to $20.5 million annually in athlete payouts, essentially salaries dressed up as endorsements. That, combined with the bipartisan SCORE Act chugging through Congress, signals that the Power 5 wants federal help but on their terms.
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