Vice President JD Vance says American Olympic athletes should focus on winning medals, not weighing in on politics, as debate over immigration and President Donald Trump follows Team USA to the 2026 Winter Games.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Azerbaijan, Vance addressed recent comments made by several U.S. athletes about the political climate back home. His message was direct.
“Yes, you’re going to have some Olympic athletes who pop off about politics. I feel like that happens every Olympics,” Vance said, via People. “My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together… You’re there to play a sport and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics.”
JD Vance says Olympians aren’t there to “pop off about politics.”
Is free speech patriotic — until it’s inconvenient?
Should athletes compete only… or speak too?#JDVance⁰#Olympics⁰#FreeSpeech⁰#USPolitics pic.twitter.com/b528qHg1X9
— Duke Of News (@DukeOfNews) February 11, 2026
The remarks come after multiple American athletes were asked about immigration enforcement and protests tied to ICE operations during press conferences in Italy.
Freestyle skier Chris Lillis said on Feb. 6 that he felt “heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States.” While he said he would never want to represent another country, he added that the U.S. should focus on “respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”
Halfpipe skier Hunter Hess described representing the U.S. as bringing “mixed emotions.” He said, “Just because I wear the flag, it doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.”
Vance whines about US Olympic athletes speaking out against the Trump administration:
“When you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans. You’re there to play a sport…You’re not there to pop off about politics” pic.twitter.com/J5idoic2tw
— FactPost (@factpostnews) February 11, 2026
President Trump responded on Truth Social days later, writing that he found it “hard to root for” Hess and calling him “a real Loser.” Trump added that if Hess felt that way, “he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team.” Luckily, Hess’s teammates defended him from Trump’s petty attack.
Figure skater Amber Glenn also defended her decision to speak publicly. “I know that a lot of people will say, ‘You’re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,’ but politics affects us all,” she said during a Feb. 4 press conference.
Days later, Glenn said she would limit her time on social media after receiving what she described as a “scary” level of hate and threats. “I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in,” she wrote.
@USOPC_CEO At the 2026 Winter Olympics several Team USA athletes, including Hunter Hess, Chris Lillis & Rich Ruohonen, spoke out against ICE protecting themselves against assault while legally removing illegal criminals. They expressed moral conflict representing the USA. pic.twitter.com/IK9v9JWxHK
— Laurie (@ContactLaurie) February 11, 2026
Olympic rugby bronze medalist Ilona Maher posted on Instagram that when she says “Go USA,” she is not endorsing government policies. “I say, ‘Go USA!’ for all the athletes who I believe are a beautiful representation of what America should be,” she wrote.
Vance said that athletes who enter political debates should expect reaction. “When Olympic athletes enter the political arena, they should expect some pushback,” he said. Still, he added that most athletes are “doing a great job” and “enjoy the support of the entire country.”
He argued that representing the U.S. abroad carries a broader responsibility. “The way to bring the country together is not to show up in a foreign country and attack the President of the United States,” Vance said. “It’s to play your sport and represent the country well.”
Vance attended the opening ceremony in Milan on Feb. 6 with Second Lady Usha Vance. When he appeared on the stadium screen, sections of the crowd booed.
Oralè Crew
Olympian Hunter Hess
Speaks out on global
Olympic Stage on conflicting emotions representing the US.
“Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean that I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”. pic.twitter.com/Z0ocwDQDTa
— Ruben Garcia (@goRubenRuben) February 10, 2026
The political tension surrounding the Games comes as immigration enforcement has intensified in recent months. High-profile ICE operations and protests have drawn national attention, including demonstrations in Milan during the opening week of the Olympics.
On the ice and on the slopes, competition continues. Off the field, the argument over who gets to speak, and when, is unfolding in real time, one press conference at a time.
