Trump Calls US Olympic Skier Hunter Hess 'A Real Loser' for Expressing Mixed Emotions About Representing America

President Donald Trump attacked US Olympic freestyle skier Hunter Hess on Truth Social, calling him "a real loser" after Hess expressed mixed emotions about representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. At a press conference earlier in the week, Hess had said it was "a little hard" to represent the US given the political division and crises in the country, including violent immigration raids. Trump also stated that Hess "shouldn't have tried out" for Team USA. The attack represents a rare instance of a sitting US president publicly criticizing a member of the US Olympic team, demonstrating Trump's pattern of attacking those who express criticism or lack of full support for his administration.

"a real loser... shouldn't have tried out for the team" — Trump's Truth Social post attacking Hunter Hess after the skier expressed mixed emotions about representing the US at the 2026 Winter Olympics