Trump Taps Saban, Two Heisman Winners and Condoleezza Rice for White House College-Sports Roundtable

Washington — President Donald Trump will chair a closed-door White House roundtable next week aimed at stabilizing a college-athletics industry roiled by name-image-and-likedompensation deals, transfer-portal chaos and conference realignment, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and New York Yankees president Randy Levine will serve as vice chairs of the session, which is expected to gather university presidents, commissioners, athletic directors, coaches, business leaders and sports executives.

While the full attendee list has not been released, Trump’s invitees include former Alabama coach Nick Saban, two Heisman Trophy winners and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, giving the meeting star power that underscores the cultural and economic weight of collegiate sports.

Agenda items, Dellenger reports, will range from the role of athletics within higher education to widening financial gaps between programs and the legal and marketplace forces reshaping rosters almost overnight.

Supporters hope the high-profile discussion will produce consensus solutions and head off further court battles, though skeptics question whether a single summit can yield enforceable policy.

Notably absent from the preliminary roster is NCAA president Charlie Baker, raising questions about the association’s influence as the White House wades into reform talks.

With the college model at an inflection point, all eyes will be on whether the president’s roundtable can convert dialogue into tangible next steps for schools, athletes and the billions-of-dollar industry built around them.