On February 8, 2026, President Trump attacked US Olympic freestyle skier Hunter Hess on Truth Social, calling him a “real Loser” after Hess expressed “mixed emotions representing the US right now” at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Hess had said at a press conference, “just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the US,” when asked about representing America amid violent immigration raids and political crises.
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.” The President of the United States publicly attacking an American athlete competing on the world stage—rather than supporting Team USA—is deeply un-presidential. Senator Bernie Sanders responded, “Mr. President, this is not a monarchy. This is the United States and no one is required to bow down to you.”
Hess is a young American competing at the highest level of his sport. His right to express his feelings about his country is protected by the First Amendment—the same Constitution Trump swore to defend. A president who only supports athletes who praise him personally is a president who demands loyalty over patriotism.