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American ski star backtracks on ‘mixed emotions’ remark after Trump wrath

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American skier Hunter Hess appeared to have given up on the “mixed feelings” he said he had about representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Hess faced backlash from President Donald Trump and others when he made his initial comments to reporters last week. But a few days later, Hess made it clear what it means to wear the red, white and blue on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

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Hunter Hess reacts while competing in the men’s freeski halfpipe final at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix on December 20, 2025 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

“I love my country,” she wrote with an American flag emoji. “There are many things that are great about America, but there are always things that could be better.

“One of the many things that makes this country so great is that we have the right and the freedom to say so. The best thing about the Olympics is that it brings people together, and with so many of us divided, we need that more than ever. I can’t wait to represent Team USA when we compete next week.”

Hess’ comments come as the Trump administration faces backlash over its use of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in enforcement operations. An incident with ICE agents in January led to the death of Renee Good in Minnesota. Border Patrol agents also had a fatal encounter with Alex Pretti.

Hunter Hess after competing in the Dew Tour on February 25, 2023 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

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These events apparently served as the catalyst for comments by Hess and teammate Chris Lillis. Hess says he has “mixed feelings” about representing the USA

“I think representing the United States right now brings up mixed emotions. It’s a little tough. There’s a lot of things going on that I’m obviously not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t either,” Hess said.

“I think for me, it’s more of representing my friends and family back home, the people who represented it before me, everything that I believe is good about the United States. If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I wear the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the United States.”