On December 18, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his new idea of “America’s best birthday party” called The Patriot Games. This was an idea of a 4 day long, televised sporting event where 1 female and 1 male teenager from each state and territory have the opportunity to to compete in September of 2026. This idea has sparked controversy due to the similarity to Suzanne Collins’s best selling series, “The Hunger Games”.
“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins is a novel series about a televised sporting event called The Hunger Games. This book takes place in the future where the United States no longer exists and instead a country called Panem resides. Panem is separated into 12 districts and every year 1 male and 1 female from ages 12 – 18, from each district are selected to battle in an arena to the death until one person remains to be crowned victor. These teenagers go to the Capitol city where they train for 4 days before going to the arena. Every year 24 go in and 1 comes out.
This biggest issue with this competion is where the idea of The Patriot Games is coming from. As stated by Trump this is a series of sporting events in the capital city. Even with the death factor erased from the games this event is still to strikingly similar. Suzanne Collins wrote “The Hunger Games” as a story to teach how unity and control does not always mean prosperity. She never meant for her story to become the next big event. This idea should not be brought to life and that is very clear. The Patriot Games will consist of 128 teenagers where 1 male and 1 female will be crowned victor. This is all a little too similar for anyone.
Trump also stated that, “Men will not be playing in women’s sports. We are having none of that”. This is not only just a take on a very controversial book but also on human rights. Trump is stating that Trans people may not have the right to participate and that is wrong on a whole other level. The United States is a country where people can be who they want not oppressed for what they believe. Even if someone for whatever reason worked very hard to appear on The Patriot Games and was declined due to their gender orientation is wrong. Especially when the youth of America has worked so hard to stand up towards human rights.
In September, when these games are held, remember their derivative. A book about political corruption turned into a birthday party. What have we as a nation become?
