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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., needled President Donald Trump on Sunday over comments he made about American Olympian Hunter Hess.
Hess faced the wrath of the president after he said he had “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S. at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Trump responded by calling the skier a “real loser.”
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Hunter Hess of the United States reacts during the Men’s Ski Halfpipe Final at the Toyota US Grand Prix at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort on Jan. 9, 2026 in Aspen, Colorado. (Dustin Satloff/U.S. Ski and Snowboard/Getty Images)
“Trump called American Olympian Hunter Hess a ‘real loser’ for criticizing what’s happening in our country under Trump,” Sanders wrote on X. “Mr. President, this is not a monarchy. This is the United States and no one is required to bow down to you.
“Hess is not a loser. He’s a proud American.”
Hess’ comments came as the Trump administration faced backlash over the use of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in immigration enforcement operations. An incident with ICE agents in January left Renee Good dead in Minnesota. Border Patrol agents also had a deadly encounter with Alex Pretti.
Those incidents were apparently used as the catalyst for the comments from Hess and his teammate Chris Lillis. Hess said he had “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S.
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Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced legislation aimed at what Democrats describe as President Donald Trump’s “narcissism,” seeking to bar sitting presidents from putting their own names on federal buildings. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now, I think. It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t,” Hess said.
“I think, for me, it’s more I’m representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S. If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.
“I just kind of want to do it for my friends and my family and the people that support me getting here.”
Trump called out Hess on Truth Social.
“U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics,” he wrote.
Hunter Hess, of the United States, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, Colorado, Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)
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“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. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
