Olympic Athletes Express Mixed Feelings About Representing U.S.

President Donald Trump has stirred controversy by criticizing U.S. Olympic freestyle skier Hunter Hess. On Sunday, Trump expressed his disappointment over Hess’s recent remarks, calling him a “loser” for having “mixed emotions” about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy. The president took to his social media platform to voice his opinion, stating that it is “very hard to root for someone like this” and questioning Hess’s decision to join the team.

The White House has not yet issued a statement in response to President Trump’s comments.

At a recent press conference held by the Team USA Freeski Team before the opening ceremonies in Italy, Hess openly shared his sentiments. “It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” he stated. Addressing a reporter’s question regarding the significance of wearing Team USA colors and the American flag, Hess elaborated, “It’s challenging. There’s a lot happening that I am not in favor of, and I believe many others feel the same way.”

Hess continued by emphasizing his personal perspective: “For me, it’s more about representing my friends, family, and the positive aspects of the U.S. that I identify with. Just because I wear the flag doesn’t mean I align with everything occurring in the country.”

The backdrop of Hess’s comments includes protests in Italy related to the Games. These demonstrations have been partly fueled by unverified reports suggesting that the U.S. would deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to assist with Olympic security. In response, Tilman J. Fertitta, the U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, clarified in a statement that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) personnel—operating under the Department of Homeland Security—will be present in an advisory and intelligence capacity only. He further specified that security responsibilities remain strictly under Italian authorities.

In the same press conference, fellow Team USA freestyle skier Chris Lillis echoed Hess’s sentiments, describing his feelings as “heartbroken” about the state of the U.S. Lillis advocated for respecting everyone’s rights and hoped that the Olympics would showcase the positive side of America that athletes aim to represent.

ABC News correspondents Luke Barr and Christopher Watson have contributed to the details of this report.