Olympic Figure Skater Amber Glenn Steps Away from Social Media After Receiving ‘Threats’ for Speaking Out Against Trump

Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn is standing by her decision to speak candidly about the political atmosphere in the United States after she says she received a “scary” volume of online hate and threats.

Glenn, 26 — the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in Olympic figure skating — was asked directly about President Trump, his treatment of the LGBTQ community and how it impacts her during a Feb. 4 press conference tied to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

She told reporters it has been “a hard time” for the community, but said she wanted to use her platform and her voice “to try and encourage people to stay strong.”

A few days later, on Saturday, Feb. 7, Glenn said the reaction to her remarks quickly turned hostile.

“When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories.

Glenn added that while she expected some pushback, the intensity still “disappointed” her. With several competitions ahead, she said she plans to limit her time online for now — but not her willingness to speak.

“I will be limiting my time on social media for my own wellbeing for now but I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in,” she wrote, signing off with a white heart and an “Xoxo.”

At the Feb. 4 press conference, Glenn also addressed the familiar criticism that athletes should “stick to [sports].”

“I know that a lot of people will say, ‘You’re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,’ but politics affects us all,” she told reporters. “It’s something that I will not just be quiet about, because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives. So of course there are things that I disagree with, but as a community, we are strong and we support each other, and brighter days are ahead of us.”

Glenn’s comments arrive as other Team USA athletes have also described feeling conflicted while preparing to represent the country on the world stage. Freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess recently acknowledged having “mixed emotions” about competing for Team USA this year — an approach that has divided some fans, given the long tradition of Olympians avoiding political discussions.

“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” Lillis said at a press conference on Feb. 6, after being asked about representing the U.S. “I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”

Even so, Lillis emphasized that he loves the United States and “would never want to represent” another country at the Olympics.

Hess echoed that tension, saying that wearing the U.S. flag on his uniform “doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.”

“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… all the things that I believe are good about the United States.”

The political backdrop has also been visible in Milan. Vice President JD Vance attended the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, and his appearance on screen at San Siro Stadium drew boos from the crowd. Debate around immigration has intensified in recent months, particularly after the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.

ICE tactics — including the nearly two-week detainment of a 5-year-old boy — have sparked outrage in some quarters, along with national and international protests. On Feb. 6, citizens of Milan staged an anti-ICE protest in the Olympics host city.