Washington
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President Donald Trump called Olympic skier Hunter Hess a “real loser” on Sunday after the athlete expressed “mixed emotions representing the US right now” in the Winter Olympic Games.
“U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics,” Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday morning. “If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Hess, who comes from Bend, Oregon, said during a press availability last week that “just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.”
“It’s a little hard; there’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t,” Hess said. “I think for me, it’s more I’m representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe that are good about the US. I just think, if it aligns with my moral values, I’m representing it.”
Several members of Team USA’s freestyle skiers fielded questions on the US political climate. Freestyle skier Chris Lillis was more direct in his comments referencing tensions surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the wake of two fatal shootings of US citizens in Minnesota.
“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” Lillis said.
“I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect,” Lillis said.
Another skier, Quinn Dehlinger, said: “The political divide in the United States is very prevalent, and competition and sports is always a way to bring people together.”
In a statement, a US Olympic & Paralympic Committee spokesperson said, “Our focus is on Hunter’s protection and on ensuring he has the support and resources in place to compete on the world’s largest stage.”
The committee had issued an earlier statement this weekend after US figure skater Amber Glenn was also asked about US politics at the games and later reportedly said she received hate messages.
“It’s a sad reality that over the last several games, we’ve seen an uptick in abusive and harmful messages directed at athletes during competition. We take this behavior seriously and actively monitor public platforms, remove content when possible, and escalate credible threats to law enforcement as appropriate,” a USOPC spokesperson said.
“The USOPC stands firmly behind Team USA athletes and remains committed to their well-being and safety, both on and off the field of play,” adding that the committee has resources available for athletes.
Some conservatives have weighed in on athletes’ comments, criticizing Hess before the president’s Truth Social post.
“If you can’t say you love America while competing on behalf of our nation then you shouldn’t be at the Olympics,” Katie Miller, a Trump ally and the wife of top White House aide Stephen Miller, wrote on social media yesterday.
White House chief of protocol Monica Crowley also chimed in and reposted the president, writing on X, “Represent America with pride or GTFO.”
Trump’s social media comment is only the latest example of the president criticizing those who voice opposition against his administration. He also voiced opposition to Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl half time show.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were in Milan over the weekend to watch the Olympics and Trump is set to attend a Super Bowl watch party in Florida.
Vance was, however, notably booed during the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
