Democrats mock Trump’s Patriot Games, compare it to ‘The Hunger Games’ – National

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the White House will host the Patriot Games, a sports event featuring young athletes from across the country competing as part of celebrations for the United States’ 250th anniversary next year.

“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 an announcement from the Oval Office.

Democrats were quick to make fun of the competition, comparing it to the young adult dystopian novel-turned-blockbuster film franchise The Hunger Games, in which children are chosen by ballot to fight to the death in a televised competition held in an arena designed and controlled by a dictatorial government.

The party shared a video on X of a scene from the first Hunger Games film with a quote from the book, “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.”

Following Trump’s reveal, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker posted a photo of the Hunger Games’ despotic leader, President Snow, played by the late Donald Sutherland, on X. In the books and movies, Snow relished in tormenting those who took part in the games, including the series’ central heroine, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence).

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The Patriot Games were announced as part of Freedom 250, “a national, non-partisan organization leading the Administration’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday,” according to a recent press release.

The competition was previewed in July when Trump said it would be televised and run by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, CNN reported.

In the announcement, Trump also noted plans for the Great American State Fair, fireworks celebrations, the Memorial Day Parade, a UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House and the construction of a new arch monument.

“We are the only major place without a triumphal arc. A beautiful triumphal arc, one like in Paris, where they have the great, a beautiful arc. They call it the Arc de Triomphe, and we’re going to have one in Washington, DC, very soon,” Trump said.

“On Flag Day, 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, and it’s going to be something special,” he added. The fight will take place on his birthday, June 14.

Other events include a National Prayer gathering on the National Mall in the spring, which will “rededicate our country as One Nation Under God. We’re not changing that. A lot of people would like to see it. It’ll never happen,” the president said.

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