The 232 American athletes competing at the Winter Games have dedicated years to training, traveled thousands of miles, and are poised to deliver their best performances on the ice and snow in northern Italy. Yet, the Olympic spirit is inevitably being overshadowed by the political tensions emanating from their home country.
These Games arrive after a tumultuous year marked by the Trump administration’s strained relations with Europe, including threatening allies and implementing an immigration crackdown that sparked widespread outrage, especially in Italy. This growing opposition has followed the U.S. team to the Olympic stage, compelling athletes, coaches, and American supporters to either confront or navigate around the prevailing sentiment.
Hunter Hess, a skier from Bend, Oregon, recently expressed his “mixed emotions” about representing the United States at the Games. He stated, “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
President Trump swiftly and fiercely responded to Hess’s comments, calling him “a real Loser” in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday. Trump added, “If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this.”
These presidential remarks followed just days after the Milan opening ceremony, where Vice President JD Vance was briefly shown on large screens as the U.S. team paraded past, waving American flags. The moment was met with jeers and boos from the San Siro stadium crowd. Phillip DiGuglielmo, coach to U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu, initially believed the negative reaction was aimed at the athletes, causing him deep sadness. Later, he learned the boos were for Mr. Vance, but the incident still left him concerned that the athletes might have felt targeted.
Zach Werenski, a defenseman for the U.S. men’s hockey team, was present at the stadium but only learned of the boos later via social media. He mentioned meeting Mr. Vance earlier that day, stating, “He’s a proud American and he wants all the athletes here to show well for our country and that’s our goal.” Werenski intends to focus purely on the competition, saying, “I just try and block all that out.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) consistently promotes the Games as a neutral ground for athletic excellence, free from governmental politics and divisions, as emphasized by IOC president Kirsty Coventry at the opening ceremony. However, athletes, by donning their national colors and emblems, inherently become symbols of their countries’ values, placing American participants in Italy squarely in the midst of public sentiment concerning Trump administration policies.
Last week, news of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigative agents joining a State Department security team at the Olympics sparked anger among Italians, who were already upset by the actions of federal agents in Minneapolis. A protest in Milan saw hundreds carrying an anti-ICE banner declaring, “Milan despises you.” This furor led American figure skating, hockey, and speedskating federations to quickly rename their hospitality venue in Milan from “Ice House” to “Winter House.” Annie White, chief marketing officer for U.S. Figure Skating, expressed surprise that “the surface we skate on would potentially become a polarizing word.”
Mr. Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha and their children, met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni but steered clear of public political discussions. While attending a figure skating event, Evan Lysacek, a 2010 Olympic champion traveling with the Vice President, noted that Vance’s daughter appreciated the fashion, and his sons primarily wanted “America to win.” As of Sunday morning, no U.S. team member had publicly supported the Trump administration, adhering to U.S. Olympic Committee guidelines that encourage advocating for social justice but discourage partisan politics.
American Olympians are frequently asked about the experience of representing the United States in this environment. Summer Britcher, a luger from New York, remarked, “I just stay focused on the fact that there are a lot of really good people at home who I am proud to represent.” Mikaela Shiffrin, a three-time Olympic medalist skier, paused when asked a similar question by a Norwegian journalist. She affirmed it was “an honor and privilege” to compete, then read from prepared remarks, quoting Nelson Mandela, and spoke of representing “values of inclusivity, values of diversity and kindness.”
Some athletes, however, are leveraging their platform for political advocacy. Amber Glenn, the three-time U.S. national figure skating champion, stated, “I know that a lot of people say you’re just an athlete, like, stick to your job, shut up about politics, but politics affect us all.” Glenn, who is pansexual, added that she “will not just be quiet about” the Trump administration’s policies concerning L.G.B.T.Q. Americans. Skier Lindsey Vonn, also a three-time Olympic medalist, expressed profound sadness about “everything going on in Minnesota,” asserting, “We are more than what’s happening right now.”
Italy’s hosts, familiar with their own domestic political turbulence, seem inclined to give the athletes the benefit of the doubt. Barbara Barile, a 57-year-old attendee of the Milan opening ceremony, noted, “We must distinguish between those who govern and those who are governed,” acknowledging a “real, great concern” for the United States. Gregory Alegi, a historian at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, explained that a strain of “anti-Americanism has been here for a long time” in Italy, rooted in historical grievances from both the political right and left. While Prime Minister Meloni’s supporters value her efforts to maintain a close relationship with Mr. Trump, the recent actions of ICE agents in Minneapolis have united Italians in opposition to this particular aspect of the U.S. administration’s policies.
Despite the underlying tensions, American flags were still prominently displayed at a figure skating event. However, some American spectators, like Helen and Andrew Wehner, initially chose not to bring flag gear, anticipating backlash. Helen later reconsidered, realizing, “Once you’re here you see that it’s really about the athletes. I want the athletes to see they have some support.” This led them to proudly wear painted stars and stripes on their cheeks at a curling event.
(Reporting contributed by Josephine de La Bruyère in Milan; Jason Horowitz in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; and Kim Severson in Livigno, Italy.)