America is turning 250 years old in 2026, and President Donald Trump has a very clear vision for the country's birthday party: big, loud and competitive.
This week, Trump announced the launch of Freedom 250, an organization that will spearhead the White House’s plans to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial in 2026. The headline attraction, according Trump, is the Patriot Games, a four-day athletic competition featuring what he called "the greatest high school athletes" in the country. Each state and territory will send one young man and one young woman to compete in an event scheduled for next fall.
Trump framed the games as a celebration of youth, excellence and national pride.
Online, the phrase Patriot Games prompted comparisons to The Hunger Games, the popular dystopian book and movie series in which young "tributes" are selected by the government to compete in a brutal spectacle. Both Illinois governor JB Pritzker and California governor Gavin Newsom chimed in with references to the franchise. Supporters argued that the event will be more like the Olympics, celebrating the value and achievements of high school athletics.
The Patriot Games are just one event in Freedom 250’s planned schedule. From June 25 to July 10, the National Mall will reportedly host a Great American State Fair, complete with exhibits from all 50 states aiming to prove they have the most patriotic fair. Independence Day will bring fireworks and a military flyover. And on June 14, which happens to be Trump’s birthday, there will be an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawn.
Important to note is that all of these events are separate from those of America250, the bipartisan organization Congress created in 2016 to plan the anniversary. Trump, however, has long promised to deliver a celebration on a grander scale, often likening his vision to historic world’s fairs. "You’ll never see anything like it again," he said.
Whether the Patriot Games end up being a feel-good showcase for young athletes or a performative boondoggle remains to be seen. But what's clear is that Trump is planning a spectacle, and he wants everyone to watch.