American Olympic skier Hunter Hess 'cannot wait to represent Team USA' after Trump backlash

American skier Hunter Hess appeared to backtrack connected the "mixed emotions" helium said helium had astir representing the U.S. astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Italy.

Hess drew backlash from President Donald Trump and others erstwhile helium made his archetypal comments to reporters past week. But aft a fewer days, Hess made wide what it means to deterioration the red, achromatic and bluish connected 1 of the biggest stages successful sports.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Hunter Hess reacts portion competing successful the men's freeski halfpipe last during the Toyota US Grand Prix connected Dec. 20, 2025, successful Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

"I emotion my country," helium wrote with an American emblem emoji. "There is truthful overmuch that is large astir America, but determination are ever things that could beryllium better.

"One of the galore things that makes this state truthful astonishing is that we person the close and the state to constituent that out. The champion portion of the Olympics is that it brings radical together, and erstwhile truthful galore of america are divided we request that much than ever. I cannot hold to correspond Team USA adjacent week erstwhile I compete."

Hess’ comments came arsenic the Trump medication faced backlash implicit the usage of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successful enforcement operations. An incidental with ICE agents successful January near Renee Good dormant successful Minnesota. Border Patrol agents besides had a deadly brushwood with Alex Pretti.

Hunter Hess aft competing successful the Dew Tour connected Feb. 25, 2023, successful Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

OLYMPIC SKI STAR AMPS UP ICE CRITICISM AFTER POSTING GRAPHIC PHOTO

Those incidents were seemingly utilized arsenic the catalyst for the comments from Hess and his teammate Chris Lillis. Hess said helium had "mixed emotions" astir representing the U.S.

"It brings up mixed emotions to correspond the U.S. close now, I think. It’s a small hard. There’s evidently a batch going connected that I’m not the biggest instrumentality of, and I deliberation a batch of radical aren’t," Hess said.

"I think, for me, it’s much I’m representing my friends and household backmost home, the radical that represented it earlier me, each the things that I judge are bully astir the U.S. If it aligns with my motivation values, I consciousness similar I’m representing it. Just due to the fact that I’m wearing the emblem doesn't mean I correspond everything that’s going connected successful the U.S.

President Donald Trump arrives to talk astir the system astatine a rally connected Jan. 27, 2026, successful Clive, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)

"I conscionable benignant of privation to bash it for my friends and my household and the radical that enactment maine getting here."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump ripped Hess for the comments, calling him a "real loser."

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.