MILAN (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday it is difficult to cheer for U.S. Olympians who speak out against government policies, calling such critics “real losers” who should probably stay home.
It’s the latest and most prominent example of a U.S. Olympian’s comments at the Cortina Games in Milan drawing backlash online.
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Reporters asked U.S. athletes at a news conference on Friday how they feel about representing their country amid the Trump administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement campaign. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess, who was in Milan to compete on behalf of everyone who helped him get to the Olympics, responded that he had mixed feelings because he disagreed with the situation.
“If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I represent it,” Hess said. “Just because I’m wearing a flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in America.”
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul was among those who attacked Hess.
“From all true Americans out there, if you don’t want to represent this country, go live somewhere else,” he wrote on X, where he has 4.4 million followers. Minutes later, he was photographed sitting next to U.S. Vice President Vance at a U.S. women’s hockey game in the Olympic host city of Milan.
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Trump said the next day that Hess’s comments made it difficult to support him.
“Hess, a true loser, says he can’t represent his country at this Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t be competing for the team, and it’s too bad that he is,” he wrote on his Truth social account.
Hess isn’t the only athlete to express displeasure or face backlash
During a press conference with athletes on Friday, freestyle skier Chris Lillis mentioned Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying he was “heartbroken” about what’s happening in the U.S.
“I think as a country we need to focus on respecting everyone’s rights and making sure that we treat our citizens and anyone else with love and respect,” Lillis said. “I hope when people see athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize this is the America we want to represent.”
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US figure skater Amber Glenn says the LGBTQ+ community has had a tough time during the Trump administration.
In addition to Paul, conservatives who have criticized athletes on social media include former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, actor Rob Schneider and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds – whom Trump has endorsed in November’s Florida gubernatorial race. There was a lot of vitriol directed at them from ordinary Americans.
“She received horrible hate/threats for just using her voice when asked how I felt,” Glenn posted on Instagram, adding that she would start limiting her social media use for the sake of her own health.
In response to questions from The Associated Press, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement on Sunday that it is aware of an increase in abusive and harmful messages directed at athletes and is doing its best to remove content and report credible threats to law enforcement.
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“The U.S. Olympic Committee firmly supports Team USA athletes and remains committed to their well-being and safety on and off the field,” the statement said.
Italy anti-ICE protests
U.S. support abroad has waned as the Trump administration has taken an aggressive stance on foreign policy, including punitive tariffs, military action against Venezuela and threats to invade Greenland.
Team USA athletes were cheered during the opening ceremony, but jeers and whistles could be heard as Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, appeared on stadium screens waving American flags in the stands.
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In Milan, several demonstrations have broken out against the deployment of ICE agents there, even after it was clarified that they were from an investigative unit entirely separate from law enforcement at the forefront of the U.S. immigration crackdown.
Homeland Security Investigations is a division of ICE that focuses on cross-border crimes and often sends agents to overseas events such as the Olympics to assist with security. The ICE unit seen on U.S. streets is described as “enforcement and deportation operations” and there is no indication that its officers are being sent to Italy. – I think this graff can also be removed in the weeds
The demonstration on Saturday was attended by thousands of protesters. Towards the end of the event, a small number of people clashed with police, who fired tear gas and water cannon. There was another incident last week where hundreds of people protested the deployment of ICE agents.
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Associated Press writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
