Trump Dumps on Olympian Who Criticized the US
FILE - Hunter Hess, of the United States, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, Colo., Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)
An American skier’s mixed feelings about representing the United States on the world stage prompted a sharp response from President Trump, USA Today reports.
Hunter Hess, a U.S. freestyle halfpipe skier competing at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, said before the opening ceremony that wearing Team USA gear brings complicated emotions amid political divisions back home. “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of,” Hess told reporters, adding that putting on the uniform does not mean he supports “everything that’s going on in the US.”
President Trump responded Sunday on Truth Social, calling Hess “a real Loser” and saying that if the skier did not feel he represented the country, “he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team.” He added that it is “very hard to root for someone like this,” ending the post with his “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” slogan.
Hess is among several American Olympians who have publicly discussed the tension they feel between pride in competing for their country and concerns about its politics. Critics of those comments have included YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, comedian Rob Schneider, and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, according to the AP.
In a separate incident at the Games, Alysa Liu nearly missed her Olympic skate Friday because of Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade, the Washington Post reports. Liu was delayed on an official bus outside the Milano Skating Arena, then hurried into her costume before placing second in the women’s short program behind Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto.
HuffPost noted the episode as part of a series of awkward moments for Vance at the Games, including being booed during the opening ceremonies. Asked about that reaction, President Trump expressed surprise, saying that people like Vance “don’t get booed in this country,” Forbes reports.
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