Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

"Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics," Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. "If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it." Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS /AFP via Getty ImagesArticle contentNot since Cold War tensions loomed over the Winter and Summer Games of 1980 and 1984 has U.S. politics been so centre stage at the Olympics.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Due to a confluence of intense domestic division within the U.S., international disapproval of President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies, and the vocal participation of American athletes in protesting their own government on a global stage — the politics of the U.S. are not hard to find at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle content document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { const template = document.getElementById('oop-ad-template'); if (template && !template.dataset.adInjected) { const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true); template.replaceWith(clone); if (template.parentElement) { template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected = "true"; } } });Article contentA vocal cohort has led protests against those policies and the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Italy as part of the security details for Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, all of whom drew a modicum of boos during Friday’s opening ceremony.

During a Monday morning briefing with the International Olympic Committee and the host delegation, Trump was discussed for several minutes, specifically regarding his lambasting of a U.S. freestyle skier who aired his “mixed emotions” about representing the country and said he was doing it for family, friends and his supporters.

“There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t,” Hunter Hess told reporters in a Friday news conference, adding that wearing the American flag doesn’t make him representative of what’s happening in the country.

“Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it,” Trump fired back on Truth Social. “Very hard to root for someone like this.”

( @realDonaldTrump - Truth Social Post )( Donald J. Trump - Feb 08 2026, 10:39 AM ET )U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too… pic.twitter.com/gwbz3COEkP

“The best part of the Olympics is that it brings people together, and when so many of us are divided we need that more than ever. I cannot wait to represent Team USA next week when I compete.”

Chief Games operations officer Andrea Francisi was the first to respond to a question about Trump’s insult, avoiding the topic entirely and instead quickly mentioning the importance of Italian athletes succeeding.

IOC Communications director Mark Adams also dodged the question.

“It won’t surprise you to know that I’m not going to add to the, should we call it, discourse. I won’t comment on the statement of the president of the United States, nor would I on another head of state either,” he said, suggesting the IOC and Milan-Cortina leadership are in line with a statement from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

In a statement obtained by CNN, a spokesperson said the organization’s priority is protecting Hess and helping him compete.

Article content“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,” they wrote, highlighting their efforts to monitor threats.

“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.”

Another reporter said the message to Hess implies, “If you’re not with Donald Trump on political standpoints, then he’s not happy for you to compete,” and asked if the IOC has to consider that when working with his administration.

Once again, Adams sidestepped the question as it wouldn’t be “very helpful to heat up any kind of discourse like that.”

Two more journalists pressed Adams and Francisi on Hess, Trump and politics at the Games, but neither waded into the murky waters.

Hess is not the first U.S. Olympic athlete to openly express their feelings and thoughts about the state of their nation.

Seated next to him at the news conference, teammate Chris Lillis said there’s no other country he’d want to represent, but he is “heartbroken about what’s happened in the United States.”

“I think that, as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s right and making sure that we’re treating our citizens, as well as anybody, with love and respect. I hope that when people look at the athletes compete in the Olympics, they realize that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.”

Team USA snowboarders Chloe Kim, Bea Kim, Maddie Mastro and Madeline Schaffrick were asked about Trump’s jab at Hess on Monday, with all of them emphasizing their pride in representing the U.S., but highlighting the importance of diversity and freedom of expression.

“It is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another with all that’s going on,” said two-time Olympian Chloe Kim, whose parents immigrated from South Korea, as reported by USA Today. 

“I’m really proud to represent the United States. It’s given my family and I so much opportunity. But I also think that we are allowed to voice our opinions of what’s going on. And I think that we should lead with love and compassion. And I’d love to see more of that.”

Added Mastro: “I’m also saddened with what’s happening at home. It’s really tough and we can’t turn a blind eye to that.”

U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn, openly bisexual and pansexual, didn’t draw Trump’s ire by announcing last week that she would use her Games platform to “encourage people to stay strong in these hard times,” especially those in the LGBTQ community.

However, online backlash was swift and led her to announce she would be stepping away from social media for her own “well-being.”

“When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,” she said in an Instagram story, per NBC.

Team USA’s Alysa Liu, left, and Amber Glenn pose with their Team Event gold medals at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Sunday in Milan, Italy. Photo by Elsa /Getty ImagesArticle contentAnother U.S. athlete, four-time Olympic alpine skier and 2026 gold medal favourite Mikaela Shiffrin, decided after hearing actor Charlize Theron’s opening ceremony speech, which cited Nelson Mandela, that she wanted “to show up and represent her “values of inclusivity, values of diversity and kindness and sharing,” she said, as reported by Reuters.

Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins and snowboarder Stacy Gaskill offered similar spirited messages on Instagram just before the Games began.

“In the wake of what’s going on at home right now, I want to acknowledge that the flag to me represents bravery, honesty, and kindness,” the latter captioned a photo of herself draped in the stars and stripes. “It represents those who are standing up to protect not only their loved ones, but those they have never met, and I wear it proudly to honor those who chose people over power and center love and acceptance in the face of hate and fear.”

Meanwhile, a British-born skier raised in the U.S. took a less diplomatic approach than his American counterparts.

Gus Kenworthy posted a photo on Instagram of the words “F— ICE” written in urine ahead of his arrival at Milan Cortina.

He captioned the image with a sample script for someone calling their senator to “speak up against ICE and put pressure on them during the current DHS funding negotiations.”

“Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough. We can’t wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities.”

The IOC said Kenworthy would not be sanctioned for his actions.

Options for maximum comfort

The best online deals in the Canadian retail space right now Fable, GAP and On, to name a few

Unique Valentine’s Day gift ideas that aren’t chocolate or flowers Unique gifts for those you love

Advertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}}); Top carpet cleaners that can handle tough messes Whether you have kids or pets, find options for every use and budget

Is your kid sick? What to look out for according to an ER doctor Plus helpful products to have on hand

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You can manage saved articles in your account.

and save up to 100 articles!

You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.