Trump considers executive order to limit NIL after meeting with Nick Saban

President Donald Trump may be preparing to enter the college athletics debate by exploring an executive order related to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation.

This follows a recent meeting with former Alabama football coach Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump and Saban met Thursday night before the president returned to Mar-a-Lago. The two reportedly discussed the current state of college sports and the chaos surrounding NIL payments. The landscape of amateur athletics has shifted significantly since their legalization in 2021.

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Saban has long been vocal about the negative impact he believes NIL has had on college sports. According to the WSJ report, Saban told Trump that the influx of unregulated money has damaged the integrity and competitive balance of college athletics. The timing of this is notable. Most schools are scrambling to finalize NIL deals before a July 1 deadline. That’s when House settlement could impose new revenue-sharing caps and roster limits.

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While Trump hasn’t officially announced any action, his aides are reportedly beginning to explore what an executive order might look like.

This would be a significant move as Congress has yet to move forward with any legislation to govern NIL. College figureheads have spent the past two years lobbying for federal guidance, hoping to create a level playing field and avoid further legal battles. Their fear is that without clear rules, NIL will continue to create inequalities and expose the NCAA to antitrust lawsuits.

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The potential for executive action is good on paper but lacks significant backing across the board. Any attempt by the federal government to place limits on athletes’ earnings or restructure NIL frameworks could face strong legal opposition.

Despite the legal risks, some believe that if Trump were to frame an executive order as providing “guardrails,” rather than restrictions, it could gain political traction.

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In the meantime, college athletic departments are in serious limbo. They’re preparing for a post-settlement world without a clear rulebook. At the same time, the rules might be amended again. What’s certain is that the NIL era is forcing everyone to reconsider the future of college sports. For better or worse, it’s happening.