Two Team USA athletes are opening up about what it means to represent the United States on the world stage during a season of intense political tension back home.
At a press conference on Friday, Feb. 6, freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess were asked about competing for their country ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. While some athletes offered carefully worded, values-focused answers, Lillis and Hess spoke more directly about the complicated feelings that come with wearing red, white and blue right now.
Lillis, 27, said he loves the United States and “would never want to represent” any other country at the Games. At the same time, he said he feels “heartbroken” by what he described as unfolding in the U.S. amid President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
“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,” he said. “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.”
He added that he hopes fans watching the Olympics see a version of America defined by dignity and care.
“I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent,” he said.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/minnesota-ice-011426-bf811e7233a74d3a9d9af4fad5dda06e.jpg)
Hess, also 27, echoed that representing the U.S. at the 2026 Games “brings up mixed emotions,” acknowledging that the current climate makes the moment feel heavier than usual.
“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,” he 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.”
Hess also drew a line between personal pride and political alignment, saying that carrying the flag doesn’t mean endorsing every action taken in the country’s name.
“Just because I wear the flag, it doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.,” he said. “I just kind of want to do it for my friends and my family and the people that support me getting here.”
The immigration debate in the U.S. has intensified in recent months, particularly following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.
Criticism of ICE tactics — including the nearly two-week detainment of a 5-year-old boy — has fueled protests in the U.S. and abroad. In Milan, one of the main host cities for the 2026 Winter Olympics, demonstrators staged an anti-ICE protest on Friday, Feb. 6. Later that day, Vice President JD Vance appeared at the opening ceremony, and some in the crowd booed when he was shown on the stadium screen.
