U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday publicly criticized American Olympic freestyle skier Hunter Hess, calling him a “real loser” after Hess said he had “mixed emotions” about representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
Hess, 27, made the remarks at a Team USA press conference on Friday, saying that while it is an honor to wear the Stars and Stripes, the current political climate in the United States makes it “a little hard” for him to fully embrace what that representation means. He added that he competes for “the people and values I believe are good about the U.S.” and that “just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump responded sharply to Hess’s comments, writing that Hess “shouldn’t have tried out for the team if he felt that way” and that it was “very hard to root for someone like this.” He also referred to him as a “real Loser.”
The exchange has highlighted rising tensions between some U.S. athletes and political figures during the Olympics. Hess’s teammate, Chris Lillis, also spoke at the press conference about feeling “heartbroken” over aspects of U.S. policy, particularly around immigration enforcement actions by federal agencies.
Reactions online and in the media have been mixed, with supporters praising Hess’s honesty and others condemning his remarks as inappropriate for an athlete representing his country. Team USA officials have so far not issued a detailed response to the controversy.
