Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

What did Hunter Hess say about representing the United States at the 2026 Olympics?

Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

On February 6, 2026, the first day of the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, American freestyle skier Hunter Hess was asked to comment on U.S. Pres. Donald Trump’s second term in office. Hess said, “It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. 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. I think for me it’s more [that] I’m representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S. I just think, if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean that I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.” Two days later Trump responded on social media, calling Hess “a real Loser.”