President Donald Trump of the United States has once again attracted attention with his recent suggestion to include Canada as the 51st state, his unconventional press conferences with global leaders, and his efforts to test the boundaries of presidential authority. Since the beginning of his second term in January, many of his decisions have not been well-received by Canadians. However, these actions have inspired a group of teenagers from London, Ontario, who have developed a new board game.
The teenagers aim to revitalize the world of board games with their creation, called “American Dictator.”
Adam Palma, aged 15 and one of the game’s creators, emphasized the importance of shedding light on President Trump’s actions, which have not been favorable towards Canada. He stated, “It’s important because many people are unaware of his actions, so this is a way to voice our concerns and push back against his treatment of Canada.”
The board game satirizes what the group perceives as Trump’s controversial decisions and behaviors, such as proposing to rename bodies of water, including the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, promoting his “Big Beautiful Bill” related to taxes and spending, and being involved in high-profile legal disputes.
The objective of playing “American Dictator” is to acquire and control American cities where players can construct a golf course, resort, or tower. If a player lands on a city owned by another player, they must pay rent or attempt to seize ownership of that city.
Similar to “Monopoly,” “American Dictator” features special spaces where players can imprison opponents in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, manipulate the game’s rules using a Supreme Court justice, or visit a casino to earn more money. Additionally, players must draw cards from a deck containing questionable decisions and pay fines to other players.
The game reflects the trend of Canadians avoiding travel to the U.S. One of the cards in the game forces a player’s hotel to go bankrupt due to a decline in Canadian visitors.
Ben Whitmill, one of the game’s co-creators at 15 years old, described the game’s mechanics as involving various humorous and questionable decisions made by the president. He remarked, “They are all questionable decisions made by the president that can either benefit you or not. They are quite amusing.”
Whitmill added, “The decisions seem unbelievable, considering the extent of actions taken by the president. It’s fascinating to translate them into a board game for everyone to enjoy.”
The idea for “American Dictator” originated on Labour Day weekend when Palma and six friends were at a cottage in Grand Bend. With limited entertainment options, they decided to brainstorm the concept of a board game based on Trump’s potential gameplay and actions.
The Game Aims to Educate Youth on Politics
The teenagers highlighted a growing interest among young people in understanding current political events.