One Thing: The Complicated Politics of Trump’s ‘Patriot Games’

This week, one male and one female teenage athlete from every state and US territory will take place in the first-ever ‘Patriot Games,’ an athletic competition tied to America’s 250th birthday celebrations. But the politics of the moment and comparisons to the dystopian ‘Hunger Games’ stories are complicating the optics of the event. We hear from multiple participants about why they are trying to block out the noise and explore how Trump has worked to reshape sports – and America’s 250th birthday – in his image.

For more: Trump’s Patriot Games are billed as a youth sports contest. They’re also a test of patriotic branding

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Guests: Isabelle Khurshudyan, CNN Senior Enterprise Reporter & Cari Champion, CNN Contributor 

Host: David Rind 

Producer: Paola Ortiz 

Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin 

Senior Director of Podcasts: Zach Goldbaum 

Editorial Support: Piper Hudspeth Blackburn 

Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

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