Vice President JD Vance is warning U.S. Olympians not talk about politics it expect some “pushback.”
Vance was defending President Donald Trump, who called freestyle halfpipe skier Hunter Hess a “loser” after he said he had “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S. “right now,” USA Today reported.
“You’re not there to pop off about politics,” Vance said Wednesday as he was traveling back from an overseas trip where he led the U.S. delegation to the 2026 Winter Olympics. “So when Olympic athletes enter the political arena, they should expect some pushback.”
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“There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of,” Hess said at the Olympics, adding: “Wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
After Trump called Hess “a real Loser,” the skier responded, writing on social media that “I love my my country… but there are always things that could be better.”
“One of the many things that makes this country so amazing is that we have the right and the freedom to point that out,” Hess added.
Vance admitted it is not unusual for politics and the Olympics mix, but said athletes should try to unite the country.
Vance himself was booed during the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan.
“I think the media made much ado about nothing with the fact that, yes, in a crowd of 30,000 people, there were certainly some people who disagreed with my policies or the policies of the administration,” Vance said.
