U.S. freestyle halfpipe skier Hunter Hess has been in the news because of candid comments he made about representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

What Hunter Hess said

In pre‑Olympic interviews and media availabilities, Hess described feeling conflicted about wearing the U.S. flag at these Games.

Key points from his comments:

  • He said it brings up “mixed emotions” to represent the U.S. right now and that it feels “a little hard.”
  • He mentioned there is “a lot happening” in the U.S. that he is “not particularly fond of” or “not the biggest fan of.”
  • He stressed that wearing the flag doesn’t mean he endorses everything going on in the country , saying that just because he’s wearing the U.S. flag, it doesn’t mean he represents “everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
  • Hess emphasized that, for him, competing is mainly about representing his friends, family, supporters back home, and the “good parts” of the U.S. that align with his own moral values.

One widely repeated line summed it up: he has “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S., and his main focus is honoring his loved ones and the values he personally believes in rather than making a statement about national politics.

Why it blew up

Hess’s remarks quickly turned into a political and cultural flashpoint.

  • President Donald Trump criticized him in a social media post, calling him a “real loser” and saying that if he doesn’t feel he represents his country, he shouldn’t be on Team USA.
  • “Miracle on Ice” captain Mike Eruzione also rebuked Hess, arguing that if he wants to represent his family and friends rather than the U.S., he shouldn’t wear the USA uniform.

Supporters of Hess frame his comments as an honest reflection of the tension many athletes feel between pride in competing for their country and discomfort with some of its policies or politics. Critics, meanwhile, see his remarks as disrespectful to the flag and to the idea of representing the nation on the Olympic stage.

TL;DR:
Hunter Hess said he has “mixed emotions” about representing Team USA, doesn’t feel that wearing the flag means he supports everything happening in the U.S., and sees himself as representing his family, friends, and the parts of America that align with his values. Those comments sparked backlash from President Trump and some former Olympians, turning his words into a major trending topic.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.