U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
Trump took aim at Hess in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying the skier should not have tried out for the U.S. team if he did not feel he represented the country.
“If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it,” Trump wrote. “Very hard to root for someone like this.”
The comments came days after Hess spoke candidly during a press conference in Milan, where he described having “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S. amid ongoing political developments at home.
“I think it brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” Hess said.
“It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of,” Hess added.
The skier stressed that his decision to compete was rooted in personal values rather than political alignment.
“For me it’s more that I’m representing my friends and family back home, the people that supported me getting here,” he said, adding that wearing the national flag did not mean he endorsed everything happening in the country.
Political tensions have surfaced at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics more broadly, including controversy over the presence of personnel from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agency has faced widespread protests in the United States following the fatal shootings of two people in Minneapolis last month during enforcement operations.
The episode underscores how domestic political divisions in the United States are increasingly spilling onto the international sporting stage, even as athletes seek to focus on competition rather than controversy.
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Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $119 a barrel, as conflict in the Middle East rumbled on. Meanwhile, the Turkish Military said NATO air defence systems destroyed a missile fired from Iran towards the country.
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Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
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Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women footballers who sought asylum, fearing persecution after refusing to sing their national anthem at an Asia Cup match.
U.S. President Donald Trump called his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very good.” The two leaders spoke on Monday about the situation in Iran and other international issues.
Welcome to our live coverage as the conflict involving Iran enters its 11th day. Tensions in the region remain high as the United States and Iran exchange increasingly sharp warnings over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
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