Are the Patriot Games Great? No. Are They Fun to Watch?
A critical review of the 'Freedom 250 Patriot Games,' a youth sports event organized by the Trump administration. The author characterizes the event as a poorly executed, disorganized spectacle that fails to meet the standards of legitimate athletic competition.
Why it matters
Examines the intersection of political branding and youth sports, questioning the authenticity and intent of the event.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty. August 13, 2026 Share Save Listen − 1.0 x + Seek 0:00 8:49 How to describe President Trump’s Freedom 250 Patriot Games? The contest, which took place earlier this week, brought students ages 14 to 17 together from across America to answer the question: What if your high-school gym teacher walked headfirst into a pole and was then asked to throw an Olympics with a budget of exactly $6 and three weeks’ notice?
Trump boasted when announcing the games that “there will be no men playing in women’s sports,” but after watching almost all of the Patriot Games , I’ve realized he meant that nobody, regardless of gender, would be playing anything recognizable as a sport.
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