Megyn Kelly, the prominent former Fox News host, has unleashed a blistering social media critique targeting Team USA free skier Hunter Hess in the wake of his disappointing performance at the Winter Olympics. The athlete finished in a lowly 10th place in the halfpipe final, failing to secure a medal after crashing in his initial runs and managing a best score of only 58.75 at Livigno Snow Park.
Kelly's Scathing Social Media Post
In a biting post on platform X, Kelly directly mocked Hess's rationale for competing after his poor showing. "Hunter Hess got 10th 'for his family and friends,'" she wrote sarcastically, referencing his earlier claim that he was not representing the entire country. This criticism follows Hess's admission that he had "mixed emotions" about wearing the Stars and Stripes during the 2026 Games in Milan, stating that representing the United States felt "a little hard" given the current domestic political situation.
The Controversial Comments That Sparked Fury
Hess had initially ignited controversy by telling reporters that wearing the American flag did not mean he represented "everything that's going on in the U.S." He elaborated, "There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of. Wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S." The skier further explained his perspective, saying, "I'm 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. I just think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I'm representing it."
Donald Trump's Involvement and Hess's Response
Former President Donald Trump had previously blasted Hess on Truth Social, branding him a "real Loser" who should never have tried out for the Olympic team. Trump wrote, "U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says 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!" Hess responded to this criticism by flashing an 'L' sign to cameras, leaning into the "loser" label given to him by Trump.
Despite the backlash from both Kelly and Trump, Hess remained defiant, insisting he had sacrificed his "entire life" to reach the Olympics and would not be deterred. "I worked so hard to be here. I sacrificed my entire life to make this happen. I'm not going to let controversy like that get in my way," he stated. The Oregon-born athlete added, "I love the United States of America. I cannot say that enough. My original statement, I felt like I said that, but apparently, people didn't take it that way. I'm so happy to be here, so happy to represent Team USA."
The Personal Toll and Team Support
Hess admitted that the past weeks had been "challenging" as his family faced online threats following the President's public rebuke, describing it as "the worst two weeks" of his life. While Hess struggled in the final, his teammate Alex Ferreira secured the gold medal and later spoke out in support of his embattled colleague, highlighting the solidarity within the team despite the external controversy.
