Trump Calls U.S. Skier a ‘Loser’ as Politics Ripples Through Olympic Games

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Trump Calls U.S. Skier a ‘Loser’ as Politics Ripples Through Olympic Games

Hunter Hess said he had ‘mixed emotions’ about representing the U.S. right now

By Natalie Andrews and Louise Radnofsky, WSJ

Updated Feb. 8, 2026

Hunter Hess at an event in Copper Mountain, Colo., in December. Sean M. Haffey/Getty

President Trump publicly criticized U.S. Olympic skier Hunter Hess on Truth Social after Hess expressed mixed feelings about representing the U.S.

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President Trump attacked a skier representing the U.S. at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan Cortina, saying that it is too bad that Hunter Hess is on the team and that it was hard to support him, after Hess sought to distance himself from the Trump administration’s policies.

It is exceptionally rare for a sitting president of the U.S. to criticize a member of the country’s Olympic team. The Olympics in Italy are becoming an indicator of how Trump’s policies are playing both with young members of the Olympic team and on the world stage.

Vice President JD Vance was booed by the international crowd at the opening ceremonies on Friday, though he and his family attended several events and met with U.S. athletes without incident. On Sunday, the second family attended the men’s 5,000-meter speedskating event.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday morning, Trump said: “U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that is the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it is too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this.”

Hess, a freestyle skier from Oregon, is slated to compete on Sunday.

On Friday, Hess told reporters that he felt conflicted about representing his country during a tumultuous time, and said it “brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now.”

Team USA Olympians in white coats, American flag sweaters, and knit hats.

Hunter Hess, second from left, with other U.S. Olympians. Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

“Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.,” he added. Hess has faced backlash from people who are backing Trump and has turned off comments on his social media.

Hess isn’t the only U.S. Olympian who has expressed conflicted feelings about representing the country while immigration crackdowns and a rise in deportations have separated families and led to two protesters being killed by U.S. immigration officers.

Hess was joined at the press conference by Chris Lillis, a freestyle skier, who said he was “heartbroken” about what was happening in the U.S. “I think that as a country we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we are treating our citizens as well as anybody with love and respect,” Lillis told reporters.

He also said, “I love the U.S.A., and I think I would never want to represent a different country in the Olympics.”

Amber Glenn, a Texan and figure skater who is openly queer, said she’s faced threats for comments she made at an Olympic press conference criticizing the Trump administration for its stance on LGBTQ rights.

​​ “It has been a hard time for the community overall under this administration,” she said at the press conference. “Now especially it isn’t just affecting the queer community but many other communities.”

Glenn said on Instagram that after her remarks she had received “a scary amount of hate/threats” and would be limiting her time on social media.

She competed for the U.S. on Sunday night in the women’s segment of the team competition. Team USA ended the night by leaving the Winter Olympics with team gold for the first time ever.