President Donald Trump criticizes U.S. Olympic skier and Bend native Hunter Hess
MILAN, Italy (KTVZ) -- President Donald Trump criticized U.S. Olympic skier and Bend native Hunter Hess on Sunday after the athlete expressed mixed emotions about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics.
Trump stated that Hess should not have tried out for the team if he felt conflicted about wearing the American flag.
The comments follow a news conference on Friday where Hess discussed the difficulty of representing the country amid political tensions. These tensions have surfaced during the Milan Cortina Olympics, specifically regarding the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel following a fatal shooting by agents in Minneapolis last month.
Trump used his Truth Social platform to respond to the remarks made by the freestyle skier. The president referred to Hess as a "real loser" and questioned his decision to compete for the national team.
Trump suggested that Hess should have reconsidered his participation in the games given his feelings. "If that's the case, he shouldn't have tried out for the team and it's too bad he's on it," Trump wrote. He further stated it is "very hard to root for someone like this."
Hess, a freestyle skier for Team USA, first addressed the issue during a news conference in Milan on Friday. He spoke about the difficulty of competing during a period of domestic political turmoil.
Hess explained that his perspective on the games is tied to his personal support system. "It brings up mixed emotions to represent the US 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," Hess said. "I think for me, it's more I'm representing my friends and family back home, the people that represent it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the US."
Hess noted that his appearance in the Olympic uniform is not an endorsement of all national policies. "If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I'm representing it," Hess said. "Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the US. So yeah, I just want to do it for my friends, my family and the people that support me getting here."
The friction at the Winter Olympics is partially linked to the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel at the event. The agency has been the subject of widespread protests in the United States after agents shot and killed two people in Minneapolis last month.
