As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Trump administration is rolling out a slate of events designed to showcase American history, culture, and athletic achievement, including a new nationwide competition dubbed the “Patriot Games.”
President Donald Trump announced the athletic competition as part of the broader America 250 festivities, describing it as “an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes, one young man and one young woman from each state and territory.”
When will the Patriot Games take place?
The Patriot Games will take place Aug. 9 through 11, with a televised finale scheduled for Aug. 13. The competition is open to students ages 14 to 16 who are U.S. citizens residing in a state, territory, or tribal nation and are in good academic standing.
Male and female athletes will be selected to represent their home states and territories in a series of physical and mental challenges designed to test strength, speed, agility, teamwork, resilience, and leadership. The competition will culminate in the crowning of one male and one female Patriot Games champion.
How to apply
Winners will compete for $125,000 in scholarship funding. Participants will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip for themselves and one chaperone.
Applicants must submit a one- to two-minute video discussing topics such as leadership, character, personal values, and what being an American means to them.
The Patriot Games are one of several major events planned as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.
Other America 250 events
A centerpiece of the festivities will be a 16-day fair running from June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall, stretching from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument. The free event features a 110-foot Ferris wheel, a refurbished Smithsonian carousel, a rodeo, talent competitions, quilting bee championships, and exhibits highlighting U.S. agriculture, industry, and cultural heritage.
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Organizers are also preparing for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an IndyCar race scheduled for Aug. 22-23 that officials have described as a once-in-a-lifetime event. The race is expected to draw roughly 1 million visitors to Washington and generate as much as $200 million in economic activity.
The events are part of the administration’s broader America250 initiative, which Trump has promoted as a yearlong celebration of the nation’s founding. The president has also championed the creation of the National Garden of American Heroes, a planned monument honoring prominent figures from throughout U.S. history.