Former President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on US Olympic halfpipe skier Hunter Hess, branding the athlete a "real loser" following critical comments Hess made about representing the United States at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. The controversy erupted after Hess, a 27-year-old from Bend, Oregon, spoke candidly to Reuters about the complexities of competing under the American flag.
Hess Expresses Reservations About Representation
When questioned about what it meant to represent the United States at the international sporting event, Hess offered a nuanced perspective. "It's a little hard," Hess stated. "There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren't." The freestyle skier elaborated further, clarifying that wearing the national flag does not equate to endorsing all current national policies. "Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S," he explained, adding that he aimed to represent "all the things I believe are good about the U.S."
Trump's Truth Social Retort
In a swift and characteristically blunt response, Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning to condemn Hess's remarks. "U.S. 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!" The post quickly garnered significant attention, amplifying the political dimension of the athlete's comments.
Conservative Backlash Intensifies
The MAGA-aligned reaction to Hess's interview has been gaining momentum in recent days. Right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec retweeted a video of the skier with the caption, "Easily solved. Get out." Influencer and boxer Jake Paul, who attended the games alongside Vice President JD Vance, echoed this sentiment on social media, tweeting, "Wow pls shut the f--- up. From all true Americans. If you don't want to represent this country go live somewhere else." Another online personality, Vance Langman, explicitly stated, "For the record: I'm rooting against our men's Olympic ski team."
Other Athletes Voice Political Concerns
Hunter Hess is not the only American athlete to voice political concerns during the Winter Olympics. A fellow freestyle skier, who chose to speak anonymously, told media outlets, "A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what's happening in the United States." The athlete specifically referenced issues surrounding immigration enforcement and protests, advocating for a national focus on "respecting everybody's rights and making sure that we're treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect."
Figure skater Amber Glenn has also been vocal, stating firmly, "Politics affects us all. It is something I will not just be quiet about." These statements prompted former Fox News host Megyn Kelly to weigh in, tweeting, "Another turncoat to root against," further illustrating the deep political divisions surrounding the Olympic team.
Hess's Challenging Path to the Olympics
Hunter Hess's journey to the Milan Cortina Games has been marked by significant adversity and resilience. Speaking to KTVZ, Hess recounted a "crazy" Olympic qualifying process plagued by injuries. "Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong," he revealed. Hess tore his MCL, underwent extensive recovery, and was on track to return to training when he suffered an unexpected case of appendicitis. "I woke up in the middle of the night with appendicitis. I drove myself to the hospital, had immediate surgery, and was out even longer," Hess described.
His triumphant comeback was finally secured in January when he officially qualified for the Cortina games, making his participation a testament to personal perseverance amidst the ensuing political firestorm.
