Washington
—
President Donald Trump referred to as 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, stated throughout a press availability final 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 stated. “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 local weather. Freestyle skier Chris Lillis was extra direct in his feedback referencing tensions surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the wake of two deadly shootings of US residents 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 stated.
“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 stated.
Another skier, Quinn Dehlinger, stated: “The political divide in the United States is very prevalent, and competition and sports is always a way to bring people together.”
In a press release, a US Olympic & Paralympic Committee spokesperson stated, “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 assertion this weekend after US determine skater Amber Glenn was additionally requested about US politics at the video games and later reportedly stated she obtained 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 stated.
“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,” including that the committee has sources out there for athletes.
Some conservatives have weighed in on athletes’ feedback, criticizing Hess earlier than the president’s Truth Social put up.
“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 spouse of high White House aide Stephen Miller, wrote on social media yesterday.
White House chief of protocol Monica Crowley additionally chimed in and reposted the president, writing on X, “Represent America with pride or GTFO.”
Trump’s social media remark is just the newest instance of the president criticizing these who voice opposition in opposition to his administration. He additionally voiced opposition to Bad Bunny acting at the Super Bowl half time present.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in Milan over the weekend to observe the Olympics and Trump is ready to attend a Super Bowl watch celebration in Florida.
Vance was, nevertheless, notably booed throughout the opening ceremony of the Olympics.