Members of the United States Winter Olympics team are facing pressures that prior teams rarely have.
It's a complicated time to be representing the U.S. on an international stage, with the actions of the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump garnering international backlash from allies and adversaries alike.
Several Olympians addressed their conflicted emotions in response to reporters' questions at a news conference on Friday. The athletes were specifically asked how they feel representing the U.S. given violations of constitutional and human rights by the Trump administration.
Freestyle skier Hunter Hess of Bend, Oregon, confessed to having "mixed emotions."
Portland, Oregon, was one of the cities targeted by Trump and Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security via Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In January, CBP officers shot a man and a woman in Portland, then DHS lied about the circumstances of the shooting—which was later revealed by court documents.
Hess said:
"It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now, I think. It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t."
"For me, it's more I'm representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S."
"I think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S."
In response, the current POTUS did what he normally does when faced with anything other than complete adoration from the citizens he was elected to represent.
Trump took to Truth Social to attack the United States Olympian.
Trump, or his proxy, posted:
"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!"
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
People outside the MAGAsphere found Trump’s Truth Social tirade typically childish.
@westonjk/Bluesky
@clownfeet53/Bluesky
@shankhead/Bluesky
In the Oregon subReddit, people were definitely Team Hunter Hess.
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
r/Oregon/Reddit
Athletes who shared their feelings about the constitutional and human rights violations currently happening in the U.S. are now facing threats and insults from Trump's MAGA minions, including Jake Paul and former Olympian Mike Eruzione, who think marching in goose-step with a fragile fascist is more important than upholding the ideals on which the country was founded.
People who disagree with the MAGA mindset of Trump before country have been encouraged to show online support for those athletes willing to speak out.
