President Donald Trump’s newly announced “Patriot Games” sparked a wave of dystopian pop-culture comparisons from prominent Democrats on Thursday, with several likening the concept to The Hunger Games franchise.
Why It Matters
The United States will mark its 250th anniversary in 2026. Trump said the “Patriot Games” will be part of the nationwide commemoration. Some Democrats immediately drew parallels to The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins’ series set in a dystopian America where “districts” are forced to send one male and one female participant into a deadly competition.
What to Know
Trump introduced the “Patriot Games” under the umbrella of Freedom 250, the initiative organizing the country’s 250th-birthday celebrations.
“In the fall, we will host the first ever Patriot Games, an unprecedented four-day athletic events 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 event. He also added that, “there will be no men playing in women’s sports.”
The Reactions
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, posted on X: “May the odds be ever in your favor,” echoing a well-known line from The Hunger Games.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, also a Democrat, responded by posting a photo of President Snow—the authoritarian leader in the film adaptation—on X.
Representative Delia Ramirez (D-Illinois) framed the announcement as a warning sign, writing: “A competition between teenagers created by authoritarians to distract the people from their brutality and corruption? What could possibly go wrong? If only there were a book that told us exactly what happens next.”
Democratic commentator Brian Tyler Cohen added on X: “We asked for affordable health care and Republicans are giving us the Hunger Games.”
White House Pushback
The White House fired back on X, arguing the criticism missed the point: “Of course Democrats hate this — it doesn’t involve confused men stealing medals from women and calling it ‘equality.’ Celebrating elite young men and women who earn their recognition through hard work and talent is what real patriotism looks like.”
Others also dismissed the comparisons. Club for Growth analyst Andrew Follett wrote on X: “Libs be like: ‘The Hunger Games is when kids are athletes!’”
What People Are Saying
Journalist Peter Rothpletz posted on X: “i knew we were in late-stage capitalism, but i didn’t realize we were in HUNGER GAMES late-stage capitalism.”
Jeremiah Johnson, co-founder of the Center for New Liberalism, wrote on X: “Everybody’s saying this is the Hunger Games, but in reality it’s just going to be a much s***tier version of a Mr Beast video.”
Ryan Fournier, co-founder of Students for Trump, praised the plan on X: “President Trump just announced the ‘Patriot Games’ to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! It’s going to be a four-day athletic event featuring one man and one woman from every single state and U.S. territory. This is how you honor our country and American excellence.”
What Happens Next
The Patriot Games are expected to take place next year, with additional details anticipated later.
