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President Donald Trump responded Sunday after Team USA Olympic skier Hunter Hess sparked outrage over his comments about representing the country at the Milan Cortina Games.
Trump made a scathing post on social media, calling Hess a “real loser.”
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Hunter Hess of Team United States reacts after competing in the Men’s Ski Superpipe Final on day two of the Dew Tour at Copper Mountain on February 25, 2023 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“U.S. Olympic skier Hunter Hess, a real loser, says he won’t represent his country in the current Winter Olympics,” he wrote.
“If that’s the case he shouldn’t have tried out for the team and it’s a shame he’s on. Very hard to root for someone like that. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
“Miracle on Ice” star Mike Eruzione also took issue with Hess’s remarks. He wrote on the X that Hess should not have put on the uniform if he felt the way he did. The former men’s ice hockey Olympian later deleted his post.
Hess’s comments came as the Trump administration faced backlash over the use of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in illegal immigrant operations. An incident with ICE agents in January left one person dead in Minnesota. The woman was identified as Renee Good. Border Patrol agents also had a deadly encounter with Alex Pretti.
Hunter Hess reacts during the men’s ski halfpipe final at the Toyota US Grand Prix at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort in Aspen, Colorado. It happened on January 9, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/US Ski and Snowboard/Getty Images)
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These incidents were apparently used as the catalyst for the comments made by Hess and his teammate Chris Lillis. Hess said he had “mixed feelings” about representing the United States
“It’s mixed feelings representing the United States right now, I think. It’s kind of 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 that I’m representing my friends and family back home, the people who represented it before me, all the things that I think are good about the United States. If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m carrying the flag doesn’t mean I’m representing everything that’s going on in the United States.
President Donald Trump during an announcement in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, DC, Thursday, February 5, 2026. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I just want to do it for my friends and my family and the people who support me in coming here.”
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Hess competes in the men’s freeski halfpipe.
