In the vibrant hills of Italy, where athletes gather under their nation’s banners, some American Olympians are finding it increasingly challenging to don the red, white, and blue with pride. A few have candidly voiced their discomfort, hinting at dissatisfaction with the political climate under President Donald Trump. Although they refrain from naming Trump directly, their words unmistakably critique his administration’s policies. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess, during a press conference, encapsulated this sentiment by expressing his mixed emotions. “It’s a little hard,” he admitted, “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, an Oregon native, emphasized that wearing the flag does not equate to endorsing everything happening in the U.S.

For Hess, the act of competing in the Olympics transcends political affiliation. To him, it’s about representing his personal circle and the positive aspects of the U.S. “If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it,” he stated. However, President Trump did not take kindly to Hess’s stance, labeling him a “real loser” on Truth Social and suggesting that Hess should not have tried out for the team if he was unwilling to represent the country. This exchange unfolded as Minneapolis grappled with ongoing violent clashes between immigration enforcement agents and anti-ICE protesters, which tragically resulted in two American fatalities last month.

The backlash from conservative voices was swift and severe. Ric Grenell, a Trump official, suggested Hess relocate to Canada, questioning his pride in representing the U.S. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, who is eyeing the Florida governorship, echoed similar criticisms, urging those who differ to “go home” if they don’t wish to represent the nation on the world stage. “Some things are bigger than politics. You just don’t get it,” he remarked on X, rebutting Hess’s comments. Echoing the sentiment of dissent, Minnesota-native and women’s hockey Olympian Kelly Pannek criticized ICE operations that led to fatalities, expressing her pride in representing Americans who “brave the coldest days to advocate for their beliefs.”

And Chris Lillis, a freestyle skier and 2022 gold medalist, said he wouldn’t want to represent any other country, but admitted being ‘heartbroken’ over Trump-era immigration enforcement operations. ‘Athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things,’ Lillis said at a press conference. ‘I hope that when people look at athletes compete (sic) in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America we’re trying to represent.’ Other athletes were a bit less direct in their criticism of the president and his policies, and were more cryptic in their perceivably anti-Trump messaging.

Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins said in an Instagram post she does ‘not stand for hate or violence or discrimination’ and is racing for Americans who stand ‘for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty and respect for others.’ Amber Glenn, a three-time US champion figure skater, said that under an administration demanding athletes ‘just be quiet’ and ‘stick to sports,’ she will continue to speak out about challenges the LGBTQ community faces. At a pre-Olympic press conference, she said: ‘It isn’t the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights.’ Super Bowl winning NFL quarterback Brett Favre said that the Olympic athletes are ‘inviting backlash with their words.’ Actor and comedian Rob Schneider echoed those sentiments and accused them of being ungrateful.

One user on X called the outspoken Olympians ‘entitled rich white liberal athletes’ who ‘can’t just shut up and compete.’ Sports are increasingly political and provide an avenue for athletes and others to express their stances. It even happened at the Super Bowl where Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny used the stage to express his beliefs and call out every country in America – not just the United States. Trump did not make the trek to the Super Bowl in California on Sunday, even though he made history last year by becoming the first sitting president to attend the NFL championship game in person.