Wearing the flag doesn’t mean endorsing “everything that’s going on in the US,” athlete Hunter Hess has said
US President Donald Trump has branded Olympic skier Hunter Hess a “real loser” in response to the athlete saying he had “mixed emotions” about representing his country at the ongoing Winter Games in Italy.
During a press conference last week, Hess, who is from Oregon, was asked how he felt about competing for the US amid the current political climate.
“There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t,” he said. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US,” Hess added.
Trump responded in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, arguing that Hess shouldn’t be on the team if he doesn’t fully support the US.
“US Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics,” Trump wrote. “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!”
Trump’s post followed criticism from Tennessee Republican Representative Tim Burchett, who wrote on X that Hess should “shut up and go play in the snow,” while White House chief of protocol Monica Crowley argued the skier should “represent America with pride.” Senator Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, described Hess as a “proud American.”
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement that it “stands firmly behind Team USA athletes,” adding that its priority is Hess’ protection and ensuring he has the support and resources to compete on the world’s largest stage.
Hess’ remarks came amid worsening political tensions in the US. Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spread across several cities after federal agents shot and killed two US citizens in Minneapolis during a major immigration enforcement surge earlier this year. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have triggered nationwide demonstrations and calls for investigations, further fueling debate over the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
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