President Donald Trump has taken aim at Olympic skier Hunter Hess for sharing his “mixed emotions” about representing the United States at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
On Sunday, Trump expressed his frustration on Truth Social, stating, “American Olympic skier Hunter Hess is a true loser, but says he won’t be representing his country at the current Winter Olympics.” He continued, “If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the team. It’s a shame he’s on the team. It’s so hard to root for a player like this. Let’s Make America Great Again!”
Hess, who has been part of the U.S. national team since 2017, caught Trump’s ire after he discussed the controversy surrounding wearing the Stars and Stripes without supporting everything that’s happening in America. “Representing the United States right now evokes mixed emotions,” Hess shared. “It’s a little tough, but obviously there’s a lot going on that I’m not a big fan of and I don’t think a lot of people are either.” He emphasized that his flag-wearing doesn’t equate to endorsing all U.S. actions.
Teammate Chris Lillis echoed similar sentiments, saying, “I’m heartbroken by what’s going on in America. I think as a country we need to focus on respecting everyone’s rights and treating everyone, not just our citizens, with love and respect. I hope people look at the athletes competing in the Olympics and realize that this is the America we are trying to represent.”
2026 Winter Olympics
Hess’ remarks sparked a strong backlash on social media. Former Olympic silver medalist Mikayla Skinner appeared to respond with a post on Instagram, stating, “Always proud to represent America and fly the flag. I will never take for granted the opportunity to compete on Team USA.”
Hess also faced criticism from Mike Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team, who commented, “American snowboarder Hunter Hess said he was not representing his country, but his family and friends. Then don’t wear the American uniform. You might just wear it for family and friends. Some athletes just don’t understand.”
