President Trump announced the "Patriot Games," a four-day youth athletics competition to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary featuring one male and one female high school athlete from each state and territory. The plan, unveiled by the newly launched Freedom 250 organization, prompted online criticism and comparisons to The Hunger Games. Trump also proposed a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., and a UFC event on the South Lawn scheduled for Flag Day (June 14). The administration has pushed agencies to align programs and funding with 250th anniversary priorities.
Trump Unveils 'Patriot Games' — A Four-Day Youth Sports Event For U.S. 250th Anniversary
President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday, December 18, 2025. - Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg/Getty Images
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the White House will host the "Patriot Games," a four-day youth athletic competition this fall as part of next year’s celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary. The event will feature one male and one female high school athlete representing each state and territory.
What Trump Announced
"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 announcing the initiative.
Reaction And Context
The plan drew quick online criticism from Democrats and others who likened the proposed competition to The Hunger Games, the dystopian novel and film series in which children are forced to fight in televised arenas. Supporters argue the event will celebrate youth achievement and national pride, while critics raised concerns about optics and logistics.
How The Plan Was Revealed
Trump unveiled the initiative in a video produced by Freedom 250, an organization that debuted Thursday and is described in a news release as "a national, non-partisan organization leading the Administration’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday." He first previewed the idea in July, saying the competition would be televised and overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.
Other Anniversary Plans
In the same announcement, Trump reiterated plans to build a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., modeled on Paris’s Arc de Triomphe. "We are the only major place without a triumphal arc... We’re going to have one in Washington, DC, very soon," he 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... The great Dana White is hosting, and it’s going to be something special," Trump added, referring to a planned June 14 event on the South Lawn.
The administration has also moved to align federal resources and agency priorities with anniversary plans. Examples include the Department of Agriculture adopting the president’s "Great American State Fair" initiative, which asks states to compete to be named the most patriotic fair, and a White House-ordered review of Smithsonian Institution programming to emphasize national pride during the 250th celebrations.
Officials have provided limited logistical details about athlete selection, broadcast partners, security, and funding. The administration says more information will be released as planning proceeds.
This story was updated with additional details. CNN’s Piper Hudspeth Blackburn contributed to this report.
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