President Donald Trump did not sit idly by when U.S. Olympic skier Hunter Hess said he had âmixed emotionsâ about representing the U.S. at the 2026 Games.
The president responded with a scathing post on Truth Social Sunday morning, per Mediaite.
âU.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesnât represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics,â Trump wrote. âIf thatâs the case, he shouldnât have tried out for the Team, and itâs too bad heâs on it. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!â
In a Friday news conference, Hess and fellow U.S. skier Chris Lillis spoke out against ICE tactics.
âIt brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now, I think,â Hess said, as Fox News reported. âItâs a little hard. Thereâs obviously a lot going on that Iâm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people arenât.
âI think, for me, itâs more Iâm representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S.,â he continued. âIf it aligns with my moral values, I feel like Iâm representing it. Just because Iâm wearing the flag doesnât mean I represent everything thatâs going on in the U.S.â
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Lillis added about treating U.S. citizens âwith love and respect.â
âI feel heartbroken about whatâs happening in the United States ⌠ICE, and some of the protests, and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybodyâs rights and making sure that weâre treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect,â Lillis said.
