U.S. Olympic Skier Faces Controversy Over Comments

On February 8, 2026, Hunter Hess, a freestyle skier representing Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, expressed his mixed emotions regarding representing the United States during a Team USA Freeski Team press conference. His comments came shortly before the opening ceremonies in Italy.

Hess shared his thoughts by stating, It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now. He elaborated on his feelings by saying, It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t. When asked about the meaning of wearing Team USA attire and the American flag amidst domestic tensions, Hess clarified, I think for me it’s more I’m representing my friends and family back home and the people that represented before me and all the things that I believe are good about the U.S. If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.

These remarks drew backlash from President Donald Trump, who commented on social media, describing Hess as a loser and questioning his decision to join the team. Trump wrote, Very hard to root for someone like this. The White House did not immediately comment on Trump’s statement.

Amid ongoing protests in Italy, fueled by rumors that the U.S. might send agents to assist with security at the Games, the U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, Tilman J. Fertitta, issued a statement clarifying the role of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) personnel. The ambassador assured that HSI would play a strictly advisory and intelligence-based role, emphasizing that all security operations would remain under the management of Italian authorities.

Another Team USA freestyle skier, Chris Lillis, also shared his mixed feelings about representing the country. Lillis stated, I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States. 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. I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.

The expressed mixed emotions from athletes illustrate the complex sentiments surrounding national representation in a time of heightened domestic challenges.