Skier Hunter Hess has angered US President Donald Trump after he expressed his feelings about the current administration’s political priorities, Politico reports.
When asked about representing the US at the Olympics, Hess said he had mixed feelings about the political situation at home. Trump responded by posting a post on his social media account Truth Social calling Hess a “loser.” The president said Hess shouldn’t have applied to the team and it’s too bad he ended up on it. It’s hard to sympathize with someone who holds those views. Trump ended the post with a MAGA (Make America Great Again) slogan.
Before the opening ceremony of the Olympics on the 6th of February, Hess said that he represents those parts of the American nature that coincide with his morals, and made it clear that he is not happy with everything that is happening in the United States. The athlete said that it is a little hard, and that the fact that he is wearing the American flag does not mean that he is showing support for everything that is happening at home.
Trump was not the only one outraged by the skier’s statement. Florida Congressman Byron Donalds, a Republican, wrote on social media that the athlete had chosen the American flag and chose to represent the country at the Olympics, and if it was too difficult for him, then he could go home: “Some things are bigger than politics. You just don’t get it.” Republican Tim Burchett from Tennessee, meanwhile, called on Hess to “shut up and go play in the snow.”
Hess is not the only American athlete to have spoken out against US politics,
with several others taking advantage of the global spotlight to point out the flaws in the White House’s policies.
Figure skater Amber Glenn said the Trump administration is making it difficult for the LGBT community and has taken several steps that have sparked outrage. These include closing a crisis call center and efforts to limit gender markings on passports. Glenn said she understands that many people think she is just an athlete who should do her job and stay out of politics, but it affects everyone. “TIt is something that I will not just be quiet about because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives,” the skater added.
Freestyle skier and gold medalist Chris Lillis said that athletes often shy away from expressing their political views and feelings, but he was devastated by what was happening in the United States. The athlete stressed that as a country, the United States must focus on respecting all rights and ensuring that both citizens and non-citizens are treated with love and respect. Lillis also added that he loves the United States and could never want to represent any other country.
While the Olympics have often been held against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, this year they have a particularly strong political overtone, as Trump’s policies have cast a shadow over long-standing cooperation between the United States and Europe. The US president did not attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics, while the reaction of those present to his representative, US Vice President JD Vance, was lukewarm at best.
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