U.S. President Donald Trump criticized American Olympic skier Hunter Hess on Sunday after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Games in northern Italy.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Hess “shouldn’t have tried out for the team” if he was not fully behind the country. He added that it was “very hard to root for someone like this,” calling the athlete “a real loser.”
Hess, a freestyle skier, sparked the controversy during a news conference Friday in Milan, where he described representing Team USA as “a little hard” given the current political climate back home. While he said he still took pride in wearing the flag, he acknowledged mixed feelings about what it symbolizes amid ongoing domestic debates.
The exchange highlights growing tensions at the Milano Cortina Olympics, where several U.S. athletes have spoken publicly about issues ranging from immigration enforcement to broader political divisions.
“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. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
Fellow ski team member Chris Lillis also spoke out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the same news conference, saying he felt heartbroken.
“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. “I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that’s the America we’re trying to represent.”
A spokesperson for U.S. Ski & Snowboard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
