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Donald Trump has announced a new athletics competition dubbed the Patriot Games as part of celebratory events to mark the USA’s 250th anniversary.
In a video shared online by Freedom 250, Trump said the competition would involve one man and one woman from each state and territory.
“Already, we’ve had big celebrations to commemorate the 250th birthdays of the Army, the Navy, and the United States Marines, but there is much, much more to come,” Trump said.
- Donald Trump announced the Patriot Games, a new athletics event featuring one male and one female high school athlete from each U.S. state.
- The Patriot Games will be a four-day competition held in the fall, celebrating the USA's 250th anniversary with a live audience.
- Trump also said there would be "no men playing in women's sports" during the Patriot Games.
- Critics were quick to point out the new games' striking resemblance to the Hunger Games.
Donald Trump announced the new Patriot Games
Image credits: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“We’re going to have a good time.”
He added, “In the fall, we will host the first-ever Patriot Games, an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest High School athletes, one young man and one young woman from each state and territory.
“But I promise there will be no men playing in women’s sports, you’re not gonna see that. You’ll see everything but that.”
As well as the new Patriot Games, Trump announced other plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary, such as the Washington Monument being lit up with birthday lights.
There are also plans for a state fair on the National Mall, a National Garden of “American Heroes” and “the largest fireworks display in the world.”
After Trump’s announcement, social media users were quick to point out the new games were reminiscent of the dystopian Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins.
One social media user wrote, “I knew we were in late-stage capitalism, but I didn’t realize we were in **HUNGER GAMES** late-stage capitalism.”
“We asked for affordable health care and Republicans are giving us the Hunger Games,” The No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen podcast added.
One commenter compared Trump to Hunger Games character President Coriolanus Snow, a dictator who ruled for more than two decades.
“President Snow has announced the first ever Hunger Games. I wonder when he’ll eliminate states rights and divide us into districts,” she said.
The new games have been compared to the Hunger Games
Image credits: Murray Close/Getty Images
A fourth person wrote, “People are going hungry so he said ‘F**k it. Hunger games.’”
“Didn’t have the hunger games on my 2025 bingo card but here we are,” one user posted.
Democrats also noticed the similarities, sharing a clip of the Hunger Games while referencing Trump’s plan and a quote from the book.
The post was captioned, “‘And so it was decreed that, each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice.’ (The Hunger Games, 2012)”
Freedom 250, a public-private partnership created by the administration, shared a longer description of the games on its website, confirming the event would be held in the fall and it would take place in front of a live audience.
“And so it was decreed that, each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice.” (The Hunger Games, 2012) https://t.co/fCx32lUMYbpic.twitter.com/3FJw4boQLv
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) December 18, 2025
“This first-of-its-kind athletic competition will spotlight male and female high school athletes from every state and territory,” Freedom 250 wrote on its event calendar.
“From opening heats to the live final day in front of a live audience, these competitors will light the torch for a new generation of Americans.”
During his announcement, Trump also referenced the UFC event he plans to host at the White House on Flag Day, hosted by Dana White.
“We will have a one of a kind UFC event here at the White House. It’ll be the greatest champion fighters in the world, all fighting that same night.
“The great Dana White is hosting. It’s going to be something special.”
Concluding his more than three-minute video message, Trump said, “All of this is just the beginning, 2026 will be a celebration of America like no other.
“Honoring our nation in all of its glory.”
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