Trump appears on ABC’s Patriot Games special during US semiquincentennial; Kennadi Fuhrman and Rockwell Myers win scholarships
President Donald Trump joined an ABC prime-time special of the Patriot Games on Aug. 13, 2026, a one-hour broadcast tied to America’s 250th birthday summer that concluded with Kennadi Fuhrman and Rockwell Myers being declared winners.
The program was produced by Freedom 250, the White House-backed non-profit that previously hosted a UFC event at the White House and organised the Great American State Fair; the show compiled highlights from qualifying rounds and the final, which took place earlier this week at a sports training facility outside Cleveland, Ohio. Aaron Timms wrote that, "in a crowded field it managed to offer some of the most leaden TV of the American semiquincentennial."
Broadcasters said the competition featured "one male and one female from every state and some tribal nations and territories," and the televised highlights largely showed predominantly white high school competitors tackling a series of preliminary tests: the medicine ball toss, the agility shuttle, the 55m hurdles and the flexed arm hang, followed by dodgeball, kickball and an arcade-style Victory Hoops shootout. Co-host Matt Barrie exclaimed, "What a way to start!" on air, while Laura Rutledge added, "84.72 for Bridget," during the coverage.
The programme spent about 45 minutes on qualifying footage before moving to a final quarter in which four children faced the televised "Patriot Course," an obstacle run described on air as including ropes, hoops, kettle bells, something called "the freedom gate," the monkey bars of "American traverse," and a final climb up "patriot's peak." The Operation Endurance Course was introduced with the line, "You like to see these different athletes step up and crush the monkey bars."
Rutledge announced, "Coming up, a conversation with President Donald J Trump," as Trump entered the arena flanked by ESPN host Pat McAfee, who then "promptly disappeared from the broadcast," according to the coverage. During a short interview, Trump said, "Well I love Ohio," to which the crowd responded with visible applause, and later added, "This has been as exciting as anything, I got here and I didn’t know what to expect."
In the final head-to-head runs across American traverse, Kennadi Fuhrman and Rockwell Myers advanced after their opponents fell; on the victory dais the final patriots thanked God and Trump presented trophies (described on air as "small, probably bought off Temu") and the checks for college scholarships. Freedom 250 put up the $125,000 in college scholarship winnings that went to each winner.
The broadcast ended with the winners celebrating as the president smiled, clapped and pointed, and the one-hour special concluded its run of highlights and the final awards presentation.