Livigno, Italy – Team USA freeskier Hunter Hess responded to criticism from former President Donald Trump following his qualifying run at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno on Friday. After successfully completing his run, Hess formed an “L” shape with his hand and placed it on his forehead, a gesture he later explained was directed at Trump.
The exchange began after Hess, during a pre-Olympics press conference, stated that representing the U.S. “brings up mixed emotions” given the current political climate and heightened immigration enforcement actions. He clarified that his representation was for “my friends and my family and the people that supported me getting here,” and contingent on alignment with his “moral values.”
Trump responded on his social media platform, calling Hess “a real Loser” and questioning whether he should even be on the team. “Extremely hard to root for someone like this,” Trump wrote, according to reports from CBS News and USA Today.
Hess acknowledged Trump’s comments after his qualifying run, stating, “Apparently I’m a loser.” He subsequently qualified for the 12-man final, finishing tenth overall with a best score of 58.75 in his third run. He had previously achieved a score of 85.00 in his second qualifying run, a 2.25-point improvement from his first.
Despite the controversy, Hess emphasized his dedication to the sport and his country. “I worked so hard to be here. I sacrificed my entire life to create this happen,” he said. “I’m not going to let controversy like that get in my way. I love the United States of America. Say that enough. My original statement, I felt like I said that, but apparently, people didn’t take it that way.”
The incident highlights a broader trend of political tension intersecting with the Olympic Games. As reported by POLITICO, Trump’s presence, or lack thereof, is being felt throughout the competition, even though he is not attending the opening ceremony. The White House has not commented on Trump’s social media post regarding Hess.
