To the Olympians Criticizing the US: Put America First—or Step Out of the Uniform If You Won’t Represent Us
To the Olympians Criticizing the US: Put America First—or Step Out of the Uniform If You Won’t Represent Us
February 10, 2026
There are members of the U.S. military making videos, in uniform, telling other soldiers to disobey orders related to ICE operations. Now there are Olympians, wearing the Team USA uniform, saying they are embarrassed to represent America. In both cases, the commonality is the same: these soldiers and athletes voluntarily chose to serve and represent the nation.
If they disagree with U.S. policies, they are free as private citizens to voice those concerns, but they cannot do so in uniform. U.S. athletes who publicly criticize the United States, particularly over immigration enforcement that is legal and constitutional, should have all federal sponsorship removed, should be barred from wearing Team USA attire, and should compete as independents.
Those speaking out included snowboarder Chloe Kim, skier Hunter Hess, figure skater Amber Glenn, and others across skiing, snowboarding, and hockey.
Kim cited her background as the child of immigrants and argued that this meant the United States should have open borders and stop deporting illegal aliens. Hess said he had mixed emotions about representing the United States because of policy changes he disagreed with. If that is the case, he is free to give up his slot on the Olympic team. These athletes want the benefits of being American, without the responsibility.
Beyond immigration enforcement, the athletes also objected to President Trump’s executive order stating that the U.S. government recognizes only male and female, a position supported by biology. Glenn said she intended to use her platform during the Games to encourage resilience within the LGBTQ community.
The criticism prompted sharp responses from political figures. President Trump attacked Hess on Truth Social, calling him a loser and questioning why he joined the Olympic team if he did not feel he represented the country. Florida Representative Byron Donalds also criticized Hess publicly.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee acknowledged an increase in abusive messages directed at athletes. However, the Olympic Committee has failed to link the messages to the unpatriotic statements made by the athletes.
Sen. Bernie Sanders also criticized President Trump’s comments about Hess. Sanders and his supporters would prefer seeing America return to open borders with no immigration enforcement.
Eileen Gu, an American-born freestyle skier competing for China, criticized President Trump following his comments about Hess. Gu said the controversy had overshadowed the Games and expressed sympathy for athletes facing public scrutiny. Gu previously drew backlash after leaving the U.S. ski team as a teenager to compete for China, where she won medals at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Mainstream media reported that Vice President J.D. Vance was booed during the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6. When Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, appeared on the big screen at San Siro Stadium, the crowd reaction included whistling and jeering, along with some applause. There were also protests in Milan that day targeting the presence of U.S. ICE agents at the Games, where they were deployed as part of the security detail for American citizens.
While media coverage suggested broad Italian opposition to Vance and President Trump, the reality is more complex and mirrors political divisions in the United States. The Italian left supports open borders and strongly opposes Trump and Vance, while the left and center-left, including parties such as the Partito Democratico, remain firmly opposed to the MAGA platform. Because the Olympics are being held in Milan, a wealthy and socially liberal northern city, the crowd was more likely to reflect those views.
By contrast, the Italian right, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia and Matteo Salvini’s Lega, generally aligns with the Trump administration on national sovereignty and border control.
The right supports deporting illegal migrants, who now account for a disproportionate share of crime and represent a majority of Italy’s prison population. Prime Minister Meloni has cultivated a close relationship with President Trump, meeting him at Mar-a-Lago in early 2025. Meloni and Vance also met shortly before the Olympics to discuss trade and energy security.
Meloni recognizes the crime and social burden caused by unbridled immigration and has attempted to push back but has been constrained by the European Union. In 2024 and 2025, she sought to process migrants in centers in Albania to bypass Italian territory, but the European Court of Justice and Italian courts blocked the plan, ruling that countries such as Egypt and Bangladesh could not be designated as safe. This left thousands of migrants in legal limbo and prevented the rapid deportations Meloni had promised.
This outcome demonstrates how EU membership compromises national border control. Italy’s dilemma underscores why the United States has avoided multinational systems where Brussels or Geneva can dictate policy.
As for the Olympics, the bottom line is simple: if a soldier or an athlete rejects the idea of America First or does not want to represent the country, they should not be wearing the uniform.
The post To the Olympians Criticizing the US: Put America First—or Step Out of the Uniform If You Won’t Represent Us appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Author: Antonio Graceffo
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