Team USA freestyle skiers spark Olympic outrage over remarks about representing US: 'Anti-American rhetoric'

American freestyle skiers are facing aggravated backlash connected societal media aft comments made astir representing the United States astatine the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics amid the Trump administration’s caller migration enforcement operations successful the U.S. 

Speaking to the media up of Friday’s opening ceremony, respective members of Team USA’s freestyle skis squad spoke retired astir representing the U.S. arsenic the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations proceed to beryllium carried retired nether President Donald Trump's 2nd term. 

Bronze medalist Christopher Lillis poses connected the podium during the awards ceremonial for the men’s aerials astatine the 2024-25 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup astatine Beidahu Ski Resort successful Jilin City, Jilin province, China. It happened connected Feb. 23, 2025. (Yan Linyun/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Two-time Olympian and Olympic golden medalist Chris Lillis said that portion helium "would never" privation to correspond different state successful the Games, he’s "heartbroken" implicit the administration’s actions. 

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"I emotion the USA. I would ne'er privation to correspond a antithetic state successful the Olympics. With that being said, a batch of times, athletes are hesitant to speech astir governmental views and however we consciousness astir things.

"I consciousness heartbroken astir what’s happening successful the United States – I’m beauteous definite you’re referencing ICE and immoderate of the protests and things similar that," helium continued. "I deliberation that, arsenic a country, we request to absorption connected respecting everybody’s rights and making definite that we’re treating our citizens arsenic good arsenic anybody, with emotion and respect. I anticipation that erstwhile radical look astatine athletes vie successful the Olympics, they recognize that that’s the America we’re trying to represent."

Ashley Caldwell (L), Christopher Lillis and Justin Schoenefeld (R) airs with their nationalist flags connected the podium during the triumph ceremonial aft the freestyle skiing mixed squad aerials last astatine the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games astatine Genting Snow Park A & M Stadium successful Zhangjiakou, China. It happened connected Feb. 10, 2022. (Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images)

First-time Olympian Hunter Hess echoed that sentiment, but took it further, saying helium has "mixed emotions" astir representing the U.S. successful these Games. 

"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." 

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"I deliberation 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."

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

Hunter Hess reacts during the men’s skis halfpipe last astatine the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix astatine Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort successful Aspen, Colorado. It happened connected Jan. 9, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/U.S. Ski and Snowboard/Getty Images)

The remarks elicited a beardown effect from Team USA supporters connected societal media. 

"The anti-ICE, wide athletes are already insufferable astatine the Olympics," 1 remark read, successful part. "If you’re not arrogant to correspond the red, white, & blue, enactment home."

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 "Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess should beryllium sent backmost location immediately," different idiosyncratic wrote. "They person insulted our full federation connected the satellite signifier and should nary longer beryllium allowed to correspond us."

"You shouldn’t beryllium representing the U.S.A. if you hatred it here," different station read. "So bushed of this Anti-American rhetoric."

Hess is competing successful the men’s freeski halfpipe, and Lillis is competing successful men’s aerials. 

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