Donald Trump has launched a personal attack on United States freestyle skier Hunter Hess, calling him a “real loser” after the Olympian expressed ambivalence about representing his country at the 2026 Winter Games. The president took to Truth Social on Sunday to condemn Hess’s comments, which were made during a press conference earlier in the week.
Hess had been asked how it felt to represent the US given the current domestic situation, including immigration enforcement raids in Minnesota and assorted geopolitical crises. He replied that wearing the national colours brought up “mixed emotions” and was “a little hard”, adding: “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.”
In his response, Trump wrote: “He doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. 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!” Tennessee Republican representative Tim Burchett had earlier posted on X that Hess should “shut up and go play in the snow”.
Hess is among several Team USA athletes who have voiced discomfort about representing their country in its current political climate and faced backlash. Figure skating national champion Amber Glenn said she was taking a break from social media after receiving what she called “a scary amount of hate/threats”, while speaking about the challenges facing the LGBTQ community under the Trump administration. Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin, without directly referencing the president, quoted Nelson Mandela on human flourishing and said she hoped to represent her own values of “diversity, kindness, and sharing”.
The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee said on Sunday it was aware of abusive messages directed at athletes and was working with law enforcement to protect them. “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,” it said.
