The iconic Olympic rings in the snow signified the calm before the storm of competition and controversy. Photo Courtesy of Profernity.
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By Wandalie Marie
TAMPA, Fla. — At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA made history, winning 12 gold medals, which is the most the nation has ever won in one Winter Games.
Like most things in the United States, sports are not excluded from political scrutiny, and it is almost expected in this kind of arena. Team USA made headlines with controversial comments made by the men’s freestyle skiers during a press conference where multiple athletes expressed their complex feelings on representing the United States.
Most recently, Team USA men’s ice hockey gold medal celebration took a turn when receiving a call from President Donald Trump. While these athletes made history side by side, the conversations surrounding them reveal how divided we have become. We should be united in celebrating their achievements, regardless of politics or gender.
Out of the three men’s freestyle skiers who shared their feelings on representing the United States, Hunter Hess took the most heat for his comment, saying, “It brings up a lot of mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now… just cause I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything going on in the U.S.” Many speculated the comments were in reference to recent ICE protests and raids, though Hess did not explicitly name a specific issue.
President Trump responded directly to Hess’s comment through a post on Truth Social: “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.”
After these comments began to circulate, many considered Hess to be disloyal and a bad representation of the United States, but I believe that these comments are inherently patriotic. Newsweek and The Guardian report on public figures who criticized Hess and other Team USA athletes who spoke out about their political views at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Team USA athletes have the same right to share their disagreement with actions being taken in the United States as any other citizen.
Disrespecting opposing beliefs and the idea that disagreement equals disloyalty is inherently un-American. The foundation of democracy and our nation is voicing differing opinions and coming to a compromise. Through the intense political divide currently happening in the United States, many have lost sight of this fact.
Locker room celebrations are inherently fun, but any tiny comment can take it too far. In a video that went viral earlier this week, the Team USA men’s ice hockey team is seen talking to President Trump via phone call during their post-win celebration. President Trump invited the men’s ice hockey team to his State of the Union address to celebrate their victory against Canada.
Almost immediately after the invitation, President Trump made a dismissive comment about also having to invite the USA women’s ice hockey team. The men’s team proceeded to laugh at these comments, which incited outrage when the video documenting this conversation went viral.
The problem with the phone call isn’t the invitation to honor these athletes; it’s the dismissive nature toward the amazing success of the women’s ice hockey team and celebrating this amazing victory as a country.
“Distasteful joke,” said Hilary Knight, captain of the USA women’s ice hockey team, in response to the video during a press conference with the PWHL Seattle Torrent. “[This is] overshadowing a lot of the success of women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA.”
Since coming home, some of the players on the men’s ice hockey team have shown remorse for their actions. “We should have reacted differently,” said Jeremy Swayman, goalie on the Team USA ice hockey team, in response to the video, reported on by CBS Boston. “We’re so excited for the women’s team and have so much respect for the women’s team.”
The success of all the women on Team USA should not be an afterthought. We must challenge ourselves to celebrate success equally and open our minds to different perspectives. Team USA started a whole new chapter in the history book with their incredible performance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and celebrating this incredible victory as they return home should be the main focus.