Olympians Respond to Trump, Vance Comments

The Athletic: “Hunter Hess says last two weeks ‘probably hardest’ of his life after President Trump remarks. 

Trump labeled Hess “a real loser”, adding  that it would be “’very hard to root for someone like (Hess)’ after the Olympian said in a news conference that representing the United States in these Milan Cortina Games ‘brings up mixed emotions’ and was ‘a little hard.’”

“’It was probably the hardest two weeks of my life,’ Hess said Friday in Livigno, where he aced both of his qualifying runs in the freeski halfpipe to easily advance to the evening’s final. ‘I’ve never been subject to that type of criticism before.’”

USA Today: “Eileen Gu responds to criticism from JD Vance, others in United States. In an interview with Fox News, Vance said, referring to Gu, he hoped someone who grew up in the U.S. would ‘want to compete with the United States.’”

“Gu didn’t take offense to Vance’s words, she said, and as for Vance wanting her to compete for the U.S., she replied playfully, ‘I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet.’”