President Donald Trump has brutally criticized Team USA Winter Olympic athlete Hunter Hess, calling him a “real loser” after the skier spoke out against the volatile political scenario in the United States.
Hunter Hess’s comments had already received backlash from YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who publicly attacked him on social media.
“Wow, please shut the [expletive] up. From all true Americans,” Paul wrote. “If you don’t want to represent this country, go live somewhere else,” he added.
Hess has said that he does not support or represent everything currently happening in the U.S. and called out ICE during a press conference on Friday, February 6, 2026.
BREAKING: President Trump BLASTS “real loser” Team USA Olympic skier Hunter Hess after he admits he has no desire to represent his country on the world stage. pic.twitter.com/alvuSs3hff
— Ernest Beier (@ezpcsystem) February 8, 2026
“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” Hess said. “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 added.
“Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.,” the Bend, Oregon native said.
According to sources, Hess’s comments came in the wake of two recent fatal shootings involving ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis, which have caused prolonged protests, agony and unrest across the nation.
The tragic shooting of 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, on January 7 in Minnesota, followed by the killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care nurse for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, on January 24, has sparked outrage across several states.
Donald Trump responded to the 27-year-old’s comments on Truth Social and said, “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. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the 79-year-old added.
Trump says Hunter Hess is a “real loser” 😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/OkaE6YLoF8
— Gina Milan (@ginamilan_) February 8, 2026
Hunter Hess was not the only Team USA athlete to address the issue. Other teammates also spoke about what it means to represent the country amid a long-running national debate.
Fellow freestyle skier Chris Lillis, a 2022 Olympic gold medalist from Rochester, New York, also shared his views regarding the actions of ICE agents throughout the nation.
“As a country, we need to focus on respecting everyone’s rights and treating people with love and respect,” Lillis said. “When people watch athletes compete in the Olympics, that’s the America we’re trying to represent.”
As online comments increased, many Trump supporters criticized the athlete, stating that if he speaks negatively about the country he represents, viewers should not watch the Winter Olympic Games.
One user commented that Hess’s “whole purpose in being there is to REPRESENT the USA,” and added that if he had mixed feelings, “there are other skiers that would love to be there.”
However, some, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, defended Hess and described him as a “proud American.”
Sanders, considered a leader of the modern American progressive movement, posted on X on January 28, calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller to resign immediately.
“Kristi Noem AND Stephen Miller must go,” the 84-year-old wrote alongside a video condemning the latest ICE actions.
“America is not and must never be about federal agents shooting American citizens down in cold blood, breaking down doors to arrest people, or sending five-year-olds to detention centers, all in clear violation of our Constitution,” he said.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) also released a public statement in support of Hunter Hess and said, “Our focus is on Hunter’s protection and on ensuring he has the support and resources in place to compete on the world’s largest stage.”
