Over the course of Donald Trump’s presidency, he’s instated policies that some may not be so quick to agree with, including proposals that challenged the sovereignty of other countries like Greenland and Canada. Moreover, in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Trump proposes his event, the Patriot Games.
The games will entail “a new national showcase for top high school athletes: the Patriot Games, a four-day competition scheduled for the fall of 2026,” according to Sports Illustrated. While I understand using the 250th anniversary as a means to try something vastly different from the ordinary, these Patriot Games bear a striking resemblance to a well-known, dystopian work of fiction.
I find this rather alarming as the society depicted in this fictional story is one of segregation and killing for sport.
The Hunger Games, first starting as a series of novels by Suzanne Collins, eventually became the massive franchise it is today. The story features a “game” where 24 young men and women fight for their survival with only one victor. There are two “tributes” from each of the 12 districts, with it being a random draw amongst the masses.
Trump’s “Patriot Games”, similarly select two contestants from each state to compete in an “athletic” competition. Both ideas encompass a certain age group, early to late teens, further reflecting the eerie similarity between the two concepts.
It would not be a leap to consider the possibility of Trump taking inspiration from The Hunger Games, with the obvious difference being the lack of fighting to the death.
I am certainly not alone in this belief, as according to CNN, “Democrats have mocked the athletic competition online, comparing it to The Hunger Games”
This consensus has caused people, including myself, to feel concerned about the implications of this ”patriotic” event. While extreme, the dystopian society presented within the novel had the games start without death, with it becoming more corrupt over time. Perhaps the Patriot Games will also become an annual event, with it transitioning into an increasingly horrific experience.
I am hopeful that this reality never sees the light of day; however, only time will tell.
Until the fall of 2026, those of us who hope that this bleak outcome will never come to fruition will have to wait in anticipation. The 250th anniversary of the United States may be to celebrate how far our country has come for some. For others it may represent a turning point in our society for the worst.
