Team USA Skiers Voice Doubts About America at Kickoff of 2026 Winter Games

In an act of disrespect toward the country they represent, two Team USA athletes used their platform on the world stage at the Winter Olympics to voice their doubts about America.Freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillis broke from tradition during a press conference on Friday, saying that wearing their red, white, and blue uniforms at this point in history comes with some hesitation.“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” said Mr. Hess, 27. “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.”He distanced himself from the nation’s current leadership and policies, saying, “Just because I wear the flag, it doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.”Mr. Hess clarified that his motivation to succeed in the Olympics was personal rather than nationalistic. “I think for me, it’s more I’m representing my friends and family back home … all the things that I believe are good about the United States,” he said.Fellow freestyle skier Chris Lillis echoed Mr. Hess’s sentiments. The skier, a gold medalist at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, specifically addressed the controversy surrounding recent aggressive immigration crackdowns and tactics by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” Mr. Lillis said. In answer to one reporter’s question about the political climate in America, he said, “I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”While Mr. Lillis noted that he loves the United States and “would never want to represent” another country, he emphasized that the current political reality is not what he hopes to display in Milan.“I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent,” he said.Reaction was swift — and often brutal — on social media. “If you are at the Olympics and state you have mixed emotions about representing the USA, then that’s an immediate ticket home,” one person wrote on X.“Is this what we can expect of athletes representing our Country?” wrote another on X. “The Olympics is supposed to be a time of unity. Our nation, united (as best we can) behind the athletes who represent us. A time to set politics aside for the love of our Nation. Yet this kid decides this is his time to further divide us?”Wrote a third: “These clowns have no business representing this country. Who is asking these questions? They ruin everything. He’s lucky he gets to represent this country and its flag. Real men have come home with it draped over their coffins so this disrespectful, emotional dweeb can ski.”The critical remarks from the athletes come at a time of heightened tension, which has intensified following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.The hostility toward America extended beyond the press room to the opening ceremony at the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium. When Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were shown on screen during the Parade of Nations, they were booed by the international crowd. This occurred despite earlier pleas for unity from the International Olympics Committee president, Kirsty Coventry.“I hope that the opening ceremony is seen by everyone as an opportunity to be respectful of each other,” Mr. Coventry had said at a press conference on Wednesday. “No one is asking what country they come from or what religion. They are all just hanging out … I hope that the opening ceremony will do that and will be a reminder for everyone how we could be.”Other Team USA athletes took a more unifying approach to the unrest. Halfpipe freeskier Alex Ferreira expressed a desire for the spirit of the Games to influence the situation back home. “The Olympics represent peace, so let’s not only bring world peace, but domestic peace within our country as well,” Mr. Ferreira said in a press conference.Freestyle skier Quinn Dehlinger acknowledged the friction but remained optimistic about the power of sport. “The political divide in the United States is very prevalent, and competition sports is always a way to bring people together,” Mr. Dehlinger said.

Team USA Skiers Voice Doubts About America at Kickoff of 2026 Winter Games

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