Donald Trump publicly insulted U.S. Olympic skier Hunter Hess after Hess said he had “mixed emotions” about representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

What Trump said about Hunter Hess

Trump posted on his social media platform that Hunter Hess is “a real loser” and complained that Hess supposedly “doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics.” He added that if Hess felt that way, he “shouldn’t have tried out for the Team” and that it is “very hard to root for someone like this.”

In some reports, Trump’s post is quoted as: “U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this.”

Why Trump attacked him

Hess had told reporters that representing the U.S. right now “brings up mixed emotions” and is “a little hard” because of “a lot going on” in the country that he is “not the biggest fan of.” He explained that he sees himself as representing his friends, family, and the parts of the U.S. that align with his values , saying that wearing the flag does not mean he supports “everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

Those comments triggered backlash from Trump and some of his supporters, who framed Hess as unpatriotic for expressing ambivalence about representing the country while still competing for Team USA.

How media and forums reacted

News outlets like CNN, NBC, ABC, and the New York Post all ran pieces emphasizing that Trump called Hess “a real loser” and highlighted the political tone of Trump’s response during an otherwise sports-focused Olympic moment. Discussion threads on forums and social sites picked up the story, with many users criticizing Trump’s attack on an athlete over nuanced comments about patriotism, while others agreed with Trump and argued that someone conflicted about representing the U.S. should not be on Team USA.

TL;DR: Trump said Hunter Hess is “a real loser,” said it’s “very hard to root for someone like this,” and argued Hess shouldn’t have tried out for Team USA if he had “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S. at the Olympics.