President Donald Trump announced a high school athletic competition Thursday using language strikingly similar to the premise of “The Hunger Games,” the dystopian novel series and blockbuster film franchise in which young people are selected from each district for a televised competition.
Trump’s plan calls for exactly what Suzanne Collins’ bestselling books and films describe: one young man and one young woman chosen from each state and territory to compete in a multi-day event.
“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,” Trump said in a video announcement from the Oval Office.
The parallel proved too obvious for Democrats to ignore. California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by posting a clip from the film adaptation with the franchise’s iconic line: “May the odds be ever in your favor.”Â
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker shared similar footage showing the series’ fictional dictator.
In Collins’ novels and their film adaptations, the authoritarian government of Panem forces each of its 12 districts to send “tributes” — one boy and one girl — to fight in an annual competition called the Hunger Games. Both events position themselves as celebrations of national pride, feature young competitors representing geographic regions, and emphasize the competitive spectacle.
Trump has not specified which athletic events will comprise the Patriot Games or detailed the selection process for the 100 participants. The competition represents part of his broader Freedom 250 initiative, a newly formed organization coordinating America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
The administration plans additional events, including a state fair on the National Mall from June 25 through July 10 and an Ultimate Fighting Championship competition at the White House on June 14. UFC CEO Dana White will host the fight event, which falls on Flag Day.
The Patriot Games competition will take place in Washington, DC, in fall 2026 as America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
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