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By Suzanne Blake
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Since the Winter Olympics officially began on February 6, several athletes have come out in opposition to the Trump administration.
U.S. curling team member and Minnesota-based attorney Rich Ruohonen is the latest Olympian to speak out against Trump’s immigration tactics, joining the likes of skier Hunter Hess, who talked publicly about the mixed emotions he has in representing America amid an apparent shift away from LGBTQ acceptance, and snowboarder Chloe Kim.
Why It Matters
The 2026 Winter Olympics are being held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, northern Italy, from February 6 to February 22 and they serve as a way to celebrate athletic excellence and global unity, each team member representing their country within the "Olympic family."
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What To Know
So far, several U.S. Olympians have spoken out against Trump. This includes:
- curler Rich Ruohonen
- snowboarder Chloe Kim
- skier Hunter Hess
- figure skater Amber Glenn
- skier Chris Lillis
- skier Jessie Diggins
- hockey player Kelly Pannek
- snowboarder Stacy Gaskill
Ruohonen criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a press conference Monday, saying recent enforcement actions in his home state were “wrong” and raised constitutional concerns. Ruohonen cited protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and said there were “no shades of gray” about ICE’s conduct, while emphasizing that he was proud to represent Team USA despite his criticism.
Also on Monday, Kim spoke on the topic of immigration, pulling from her own experiences as the child of immigrants herself.
"In moments like these it’s really important for us to unite. We are allowed to voice our opinions on what’s going on. I think we need to lead with love and compassion," Kim said during an interview.
Trump has ramped up ICE operations to deport migrants who have no legal status across the country, sparking backlash at protests and online. Two American citizens were killed by federal officers in Minneapolis this year.
LGBTQ rights is another topic brought up by some U.S. Olympians.
"I think it brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now," said 27-year-old skier Hess, from Bend, Oregon, in one viral clip.
"There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren't. Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S."
During his presidency, Trump rescinded a Biden-era executive order that had required federal agencies to apply civil rights protections to sexual orientation and gender identity. This effectively weakened safeguards against discrimination in employment, health care, education, and other services.
He also issued Executive Order 14168, which directed all federal agencies to reject gender identity and recognize only "male/female at conception" as valid sex designations.
Trump went after Hess in a Truth Social post on Sunday, writing "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."
Florida Representative Byron Donalds also hit back at Hess, writing on X: "YOU chose to wear our flag. YOU chose to represent our country…If that's too hard for you, then GO HOME."
Figure skater Amber Glenn, who has identified publicly as pansexual, also came out in support of LGBTQ rights, expressing criticism over what the community faced under the Trump administration.
"It isn't the first time we've had to come together as a community to try to fight for our human rights," Glenn said. "I hope that I can use my platform and my voice throughout these Games to try to encourage people to stay strong."
What People Are Saying
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said in a statement: "It's a sad reality that over the last several games, we've seen an uptick in abusive and harmful messages directed at the athletes during competition."
Nick Goepper, a 31-year-old Olympian skier from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, said: "Our country's been having issues for 250 years. I'm here to uphold classic American values of respect, opportunity and freedom and equality and project those to the world."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: "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."
What Happens Next
The Winter Olympics continue through February 22 and includes races for alpine and cross-country skiing as well as snowboarding, figure skating, ice hockey and more.
Update, 02/11/2026, 10:24 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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