what did amber glenn say

February 21, 2026

Amber Glenn has made a few different kinds of notable comments recently: about her Olympic performances, about political and LGBTQ+ issues, and about dealing with online hate and pressure as a Team USA skater.

1. The quick version

If you’re asking “what did Amber Glenn say?” in the context of the current Olympics and recent drama, you’re probably looking at two things:

Her comments defending speaking up about human rights and LGBTQ+ issues, even amid backlash.

Her explanation that mistakes in her programs were about skating and balance, not about pressure or politics.

2. What she said about her performance

After one of her recent skates (score 138.62), Glenn was very honest about not being happy with how she skated. She said:

She was “not feeling great” about the skate and left “many, many points on the table,” and didn’t perform how she wanted.

She emphasized she did fight through the program and was proud of the mental strength she’s built to stay committed even after early mistakes.

She highlighted that a “q” (under‑rotation) call on her triple lutz was the difference between third and second, and that she felt guilty because her lower score might affect the team result and put pressure on teammate Ilia Malinin.

More recently, after a mistake in the Olympic short program dropped her down the standings, she clarified that it wasn’t about nerves:

She said, “It wasn’t the pressure that got to me, it was just a literal lack of balance,” referring to a missed jump that cost her heavily in the short program.

The error came when a planned stand‑alone triple loop turned into a double; she explained that this was actually her easiest jump and her favorite, but she lost balance by tapping her foot during the spin going into it.

3. What she said about politics, Trump, and LGBTQ+ issues

The biggest flashpoint has been her comments about the political climate and President Trump’s treatment of the LGBTQ+ community during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Key points from her public remarks and posts:

At a press setting, she talked about “speaking out about human rights,” saying she was “just being me and speaking out about human rights,” and described that as basic decency.

She has framed what she says as using her right to free speech as an American, describing it as “one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech)” and saying she was simply conveying how she feels as an athlete competing for Team USA “in a troubling time for many Americans.”

She has been explicit that she was talking about how President Trump’s treatment of the LGBTQ+ community affects her and others, which triggered a wave of backlash and threats online.

In response to the hate messages and threats:

She told fans that she would be stepping away from social media after receiving a “scary” amount of hate and threats “for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel.”

She described limiting her online presence as necessary for her mental health and to stay focused on the Olympics.

4. Her broader advocacy comments

Beyond the immediate controversy, Glenn has been consistent over the last couple of seasons about her role as a visible queer athlete and advocate.

Some recurring themes in what she’s said:

She wants to “continue moving forward as a community, not just the LGBTQ community, but also as an inclusive society in both figure skating and everyday life,” and says she’s using the “small platform” she has to encourage more acceptance.

She talks about wanting sport to be “for everyone,” including in discussions about the future of trans athletes and unity during politically tense times.

She has emphasized that speaking about mental health and identity doesn’t mean every bad skate is caused by those issues—sometimes, as she put it elsewhere, “Sometimes I just rushed that jump, that time.”

5. Did speaking out affect her skating?

This has been a big question in forum discussions and coverage. Glenn herself has addressed it directly:

She said she did not think speaking out or the press conference, or the “feedback” she received for her comments, affected her performance that day.

She did say she was disappointed that the controversy “took away from the excitement a little bit,” because she was just being herself and speaking out about human rights.

So, in her own words, the political and social-media storm was emotionally heavy and disruptive around the edges, but she separates that from the technical mistakes on the ice, which she attributes to balance issues and execution rather than pressure or punishment for speaking up.

If you tell me which context you meant—her political comments, her apology to her team, or what she said after the short program—I can pull out the exact quotes and focus on just that angle.