The Atlantic reports President Donald Trump’s personally directed sports events always seem to offer a “very particular version of America.”
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“But of all of these festivities, the Patriot Games in Ohio this week might have been the oddest,” wrote Matt Viser.
Organizers invited 120 teens from across the country, and for three days, they competed in gym-class staples such as ball tosses, long jumps, tug-of-war, dodgeball, and a jazzed-up version of basketball that didn’t appear to contain a lot of high jumping.
“More than anything, it was a reality-television-style snapshot of the America that Trump most wants to see,” said Viser. “The contestants were overwhelmingly white, in a country where roughly half of children are not, and many spoke openly of their Christian faith or their affection for this particular president.”
Multiple boys wore a cross necklace, said Viser, and several of the girls had a cross painted on their body.
“I just want to say, it’s the glory for God. Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity,” said Max Biondolillo of Florida, after finishing the obstacle course.
“Thank you, Jesus. That’s all I can say. Thank you, Jesus,” Seylah Brown, representing North Carolina, said after completing a sports circuit.
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“The biographies suggested that the organizers might have struggled with recruitment in some deep-blue jurisdictions,” said Viser. “The boy representing Puerto Rico has a southern accent and resides in Texas. Elsie Bruckart was the contestant for Vermont, but her hometown was listed as Bellbrook, Ohio. Her cousin Rebekah Roberts competed for Maine, but her hometown was Cornish, New Hampshire. Bobbi Vickers was representing Massachusetts, but she is from California.
“I get a bunch of questions, like Why are you representing Massachusetts and not your home state?” Vickers told CNN. “But I think it’s really cool, because a lot of my family is from there and my favorite basketball team is actually the Boston Celtics.”
“Freedom 250 did not respond to questions about why certain states were represented by competitors living in other states, or why there was such a lack of diversity among the contestants,” said Viser.
Viser reported that people familiar with the recruitment process told him that the athletes were selected through applications that required submissions of a personal-essay, as well as a video submission, so recruiters could have a good look at what they’re getting. ESPN added that they had nothing to do with the process. They’re not even paying for the rights to carry it.
To Viser it soon became clear that the whole thing, “like so many others this president has overseen, was actually all about Trump.”
“This was his vision of the Hunger Games, MAGA style. He was front and center, watching the grand finale unfold and eyeing golden trophies he could present,” Viser said.
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