US Olympic Athletes Rally Behind Skier After Trump's 'Loser' Attack
Fellow Olympians Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu defend freestyle skier Hunter Hess after President Trump called him a 'real loser' for expressing conflicted feelings about representing the US at Milano Cortina.
Feb 9, 2026, 10:03 PM
Fellow American Olympians have rallied behind freestyle skier Hunter Hess after US President Donald Trump branded him a "real loser" for expressing conflicted feelings about representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
The row erupted last week when Hess, a halfpipe specialist competing in Livigno, Italy, was asked during a press conference about representing the US amid the country's immigration crackdown. "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 Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown.. "Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the US" Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown..
Trump responded on Truth Social on Sunday, writing: "U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn't represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. 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. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump calls Hunter Hess ‘a real loser’ for skier’s ambivalence about representing UStheguardian.com·SecondaryUS president attacks freestyle skier in post Hess had said representing the US was ‘a little hard’ Donald Trump responded to Hunter Hess on Truth Social on Sunday, calling the Olympian a “real loser” and criticizing comments the US freestyle skier made in a press conference days earlier..
The president's attack drew swift pushback from some of the most prominent names on Team USA. Two-time Olympic gold medallist Chloe Kim, whose parents are South Korean immigrants, said athletes should be free to voice their opinions. "I'm really proud to represent the United States. The US has given my family and I so much opportunity, but I also think that we are allowed to voice our opinions of what's going on," Kim said Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown.. "My parents being immigrants from Korea, this one definitely hits pretty close to home. I think we need to lead with love and compassion" Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown..
Eileen Gu, the American-born freeskier who competes for China and won slopestyle silver on Monday, said she had been in touch with Hess personally. "As someone who's been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes," said Gu, who became a lightning rod herself when she chose to represent China Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown.. She called the situation "an unwinnable press war" for Hess and lamented that the controversy was overshadowing the sporting competition. "I'm sorry that the headline that is eclipsing the Olympics has to be something so unrelated to the spirit of the Games," she said Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown..
Other Team USA members also weighed in. Snowboarder Bea Kim said she was "very proud to represent the United States" but added: "I think diversity is what makes us a very strong country and what makes that so special" Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown.. Teammate Maddie Mastro said: "I'm also saddened with what's happening at home. It's really tough and I feel like we can't turn a blind eye to that" Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown..
The controversy extends beyond Hess. British-American skier Gus Kenworthy, who previously competed for the US, said he had received death threats after posting an anti-ICE message on social media Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown.. US figure skating champion Amber Glenn announced she was taking a break from social media after receiving what she described as "a scary amount of hate/threats" following comments about being LGBTQ under the Trump administration Trump calls Hunter Hess ‘a real loser’ for skier’s ambivalence about representing UStheguardian.com·SecondaryUS president attacks freestyle skier in post Hess had said representing the US was ‘a little hard’ Donald Trump responded to Hunter Hess on Truth Social on Sunday, calling the Olympian a “real loser” and criticizing comments the US freestyle skier made in a press conference days earlier..
Tennessee Republican representative Tim Burchett amplified the criticism, telling Hess to "shut up and go play in the snow" in a post on X Trump calls Hunter Hess ‘a real loser’ for skier’s ambivalence about representing UStheguardian.com·SecondaryUS president attacks freestyle skier in post Hess had said representing the US was ‘a little hard’ Donald Trump responded to Hunter Hess on Truth Social on Sunday, calling the Olympian a “real loser” and criticizing comments the US freestyle skier made in a press conference days earlier..
The political tensions at Milano Cortina reflect broader divisions in the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has faced widespread protests across the country after agents shot and killed two people in Minneapolis last month, and the agency's operations have disrupted thousands of lives.
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said on Sunday that it was aware of abusive and harmful messages directed toward athletes and was working alongside law enforcement to protect them. "The USOPC stands firmly behind Team USA athletes and remains committed to their well-being and safety, both on and off the field of play," the committee said Trump calls Hunter Hess ‘a real loser’ for skier’s ambivalence about representing UStheguardian.com·SecondaryUS president attacks freestyle skier in post Hess had said representing the US was ‘a little hard’ Donald Trump responded to Hunter Hess on Truth Social on Sunday, calling the Olympian a “real loser” and criticizing comments the US freestyle skier made in a press conference days earlier..
Gu offered a broader reflection on what the Olympics should represent. "The whole point of sport is to bring people together. One of the very few common languages, that of the human body, that of the human spirit, the competitive spirit, the capacity to break not only records, but especially in our sport, literally the human limit," she said Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu expresses sympathy for Hess after Trump’s ‘loser’ attacktheguardian.com·SecondaryFreeskier was ambivalent about representing US Fellow athletes defend friend after president’s attack Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu have weighed in on Donald Trump’s attack on Hunter Hess after the freeskier said he was ambivalent about representing the US during the president’s immigration crackdown.. "How wonderful is that?"
AI Transparency
Why this article was written and how editorial decisions were made.
Why This Topic
This story sits at the intersection of sport, politics and free expression — three areas of intense public interest. A sitting US president publicly attacking an Olympic athlete by name is rare and newsworthy in itself. The subsequent chain reaction among high-profile athletes like Chloe Kim (two-time gold medallist) and Eileen Gu (one of the most famous winter sports figures globally) elevates the story further. The controversy also reflects deeper societal tensions around immigration policy, athlete activism, and the limits of patriotic expression that resonate far beyond the sporting arena. The Milano Cortina Games provide a concentrated setting where these dynamics are playing out in real time.
Source Selection
Both cluster signals are from The Guardian, a Tier 1 international outlet with dedicated Olympics correspondents on-site in Livigno and Milan. Signal [1] provides first-hand quotes from Kim, Gu, Bea Kim, and Mastro gathered at Monday's press conference, while signal [2] covers Trump's Truth Social post, Hess's original remarks, the USOPC response, and broader context including Glenn and Shiffrin's comments. Together they provide comprehensive coverage from both the athlete and political angles. Reuters reporting was consulted for additional verification and context about ICE protests and the broader political backdrop.
Editorial Decisions
This article focuses on the athlete solidarity angle rather than the broader political debate, placing the Trump-Hess confrontation in context of multiple athletes facing backlash. We chose to include Trump's full Truth Social quote and Hess's original remarks for readers to judge the proportionality themselves. The USOPC institutional response is included to show the official position. We excluded detailed policy analysis of ICE operations as that deserves its own coverage; the article references Minneapolis events only for essential context. The Fox News/conservative media framing of athletes as 'anti-American' was not amplified but the Burchett criticism is included as representative of the political pushback.
Reader Ratings
About the Author
Sources
- 1.theguardian.comSecondary
- 2.theguardian.comSecondary
Editorial Reviews
1 approved · 0 rejectedPrevious Draft Feedback (1)
• narrative_structure scored 4/3 minimum: The article opens with a clear lede describing the controversy and follows a logical arc—quote, response, reactions, broader context—and ends with a reflective quote; however the nut graf could be stronger to frame stakes more explicitly. • perspective_diversity scored 4/3 minimum: Multiple voices are included: Hess, Trump, prominent athletes, a lawmaker, and the USOPC, giving a range of viewpoints; it could be improved by including comment from Hess's camp, immigration advocates, or critics beyond partisan soundbites. • filler_and_redundancy scored 4/3 minimum: The article is concise and avoids obvious padding or repetitive phrasing; a few sentences reiterate similar sentiments but overall content is substantive and not bloated. • language_and_clarity scored 4/3 minimum: Writing is generally clear and readable with appropriate quotes; one deduction because politically charged labels are used lightly (e.g., “immigration crackdown”) without precise definition or sourcing, and some sentences could be tightened for clarity. Warnings: • [source_diversity] Single-source story — consider adding corroborating sources • [article_quality] depth_and_context scored 3 (borderline): The piece gives immediate background on the exchange and mentions related incidents (death threats, ICE protests), but lacks deeper context on Hess (career, prior statements), specifics of the immigration actions cited, and why this moment matters politically and for the Games. • [article_quality] analytical_value scored 2 (borderline): The story largely reports quotes and events with minimal interpretation or forward-looking analysis about political fallout, precedent for athlete political speech, or implications for team cohesion and safety. • [article_quality] publication_readiness scored 4 (borderline): The draft reads like a near-finished news piece with proper sourcing markers and no meta boilerplate, but would benefit from attribution for some contextual claims and a stronger nut graf to be fully publication-ready. • [image_relevance] Image relevance scored 2 (borderline): The image shows an Olympic skiing venue (Beijing 2022 branding) which loosely relates to an article about Olympic skiers, but it does not depict the specific athletes (Hunter Hess, Chloe Kim, Eileen Gu) or the recent incident, so relevance is limited. • [image_relevance] Image alt_accuracy scored 2 (borderline): The alt text claims the photo shows Eileen Gu competing in Beijing 2022 Big Air qualification, but the image appears to be a general ski jump/venue shot with no clearly identifiable competitor in action; the description is therefore likely misleading or too specific.
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