CNN's Audie Cornish called out the Patriot Games for being "overwhelmingly White" on Wednesday, taking aim at the Freedom250-sponsored event that President Donald Trump attended this week."The president promised the best of the best student athletes.I‘m not sure that‘s what we got," CNN’s Audie Cornish said Wednesday during her morning show.
"A CNN analysis actually found that a specific demographic of kids got a shot to compete.Of the ones who were featured in the Freedom 250 Instagram page, many attend private Christian schools.
They also appear to be overwhelmingly White, and the application for the games didn‘t specify race."Cornish then played clips of videos also calling out the games on social media.One described it as the "dystopian Hunger Games."JEMELE HILL SAYS UFC EVENT AT THE WHITE HOUSE WAS 'PERFORMATIVE PATRIOTISM' THAT LACKED 'DIVERSITY'"I don‘t want to make fun of these kids.
The contestants range in age from 14 to 17, but here are the things people are raising questions about.Not selected through any qualifying events.
They recorded video essays, just sort of describing why they should be included.Some students were chosen to represent states where they don‘t even live," Cornish continued.President Donald Trump greets winning participants on stage during the 2026 Patriot Games finals at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, on Aug.
11, 2026.(AFP via Getty Images)White House spokesman Davis Ingle fired back at the criticism."Thanks to President Trump and the incredible efforts of the Freedom 250 organization, athletes from all across the country had the opportunity to put their talents on national display and earn life-changing scholarships that would greatly impact their futures.
The inaugural Patriot Games were a resounding success, and anyone who claims they were racist or otherwise clearly suffers from a severe and incurable disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome that has completely rotted their peanut-sized brains," Ingle said.Th...