Americans are threatening to boycott the Winter Olympics after some Team USA members expressed “mixed emotions” about representing the Stars and Stripes.
Freestyle skier Hunter Hess ignited the firestorm Friday after telling reporters that wearing the American flag doesn’t mean he backs everything “going on” in the US.
“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” Hess said at a press conference ahead of competition.
“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 US.”
The remarks quickly ricocheted across social media, where critics accused the Olympian of trashing the country he’s supposed to represent and vowed to boycott the Games.
“This privileged athlete’s comments clearly show that he puts himself far above his country in this competition,” one user on X wrote. “His comments are an insult to Team USA and the spirit of the Olympics. Cut.”
Another fumed that Hess’ “whole purpose in being there is to REPRESENT the USA,” adding that if he has mixed feelings, “there are other skiers that would love to be there.”
Others said the comments were enough to make them stop watching altogether.
“You know what? I’m going to go on ahead and turn it off right now,” one critic on X wrote, tagging the Olympics’ official account.
“I was already planning not to watch; this just seals the deal!” another added.
There’s no room for selective patriotism when you rep Uncle Sam, some argued.
“When you wear the stars and stripes, you represent all of us — not just the parts you like,” another commenter wrote. “If you have ‘mixed emotions,’ then stay home and let someone who loves this country shine.”
Hess, 27, is a veteran of the U.S. freestyle circuit, hailing from Bend, Oregon, with multiple World Cup and X Games podiums. He has been on the national team since 2017 and competes in the halfpipe.
Fellow freestyle skier Chris Lillis, a 2022 Olympic gold medalist from Rochester, N.Y., also weighed in, tying his frustration to immigration enforcement and protests back home.
“I’m heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” Lillis said. “I think that as a country we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we are treating our citizens as well as anybody with love and respect.”
“I hope that when people look at athletes compete in the Olympics they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent,” he added.
Critics weren’t buying it.
One X user blasted the comments as “extremely poor taste,” arguing that athletes have a right to their views but not to air them “on a podium while he’s representing us.”
Others went further, calling for athletes who criticize the country to be sent packing.
“All these athletes should be pulled from the team,” another wrote. “You don’t go to the Olympics and trash your country.”
Added X user Kevin Miller: “Count me in the boycott.”
The backlash comes as the Milan-Cortina Games are already under scrutiny, with protests and political tensions spilling into Olympic venues and broadcasts.
