Donald Trump’s Patriot Games plan sparks ‘Hunger Games’ comparisons ahead of US 250th anniversary
The four-day sporting event planned for autumn 2026 will feature a male and female high school athlete from each state
President Donald Trump has announced a new national athletic event as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations, prompting widespread online comparisons to The Hunger Games.
The initiative, titled the Patriot Games, was unveiled in a short address shared by FOX 5 Washington DC. The four-day event is planned for autumn 2026 as part of the America250 programme.
According to Trump, the competition will feature two high school athletes from each state, one male and one female, taking part in what he described as an “unprecedented” sporting event.
During the announcement, Trump also addressed gender participation in sport, stating, “You’re not going to see that. You’ll see everything but that!” in reference to “men playing in women’s sports.”
Although limited in detail, the proposal generated significant reaction online, with many users drawing parallels to Suzanne Collins’ dystopian Hunger Games series. In the novels, one boy and one girl from each district are selected to compete in a televised contest that ultimately becomes a fight for survival.
Social media users were quick to highlight the similarities. One user, “I saw that ‘Patriot Games’ news and thought it was a joke. It is not. Next week Trump will announce The Long Walk.”
Podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen shared an image comparing the announcement to the film adaptation of The Hunger Games, while another user commented, “Creating the ‘Patriot Games’ somehow still isn’t the most Hunger Games thing this authoritarian regime has done.”
Beyond the Patriot Games, Trump outlined several other events planned for the anniversary year. These include lighting the Washington Monument on January 5, a prayer event on the National Mall in spring, a UFC fight at the White House, the Great American State Fair on the National Mall from June 25 to July 10, and a “Salute to America” celebration on July 4, 2026.
