MILAN — Mikaela Shiffrin has generally let her performances do the talking during a career that has seen her win two Olympic titles and more World Cup races than any skier in history.
But she clearly had something to say before hitting the slopes for the first time at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
“I actually have some thoughts,” she said when asked by a reporter what she thought about representing the United States at a time when the country is riven by deep political divisions. “I can read something I wrote if you don’t mind.”
Shiffrin then looked at her phone to read a quote from Nelson Mandela, who said: “Peace is not just the absence of conflict. Peace is the creation of an environment where everyone can flourish without distinction of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social marker of difference.”
Mandela’s quote was uttered a day earlier by actress Charlize Theron at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, and it resonated deeply with Shiffrin.
“For me, this is about the Olympics,” Shiffrin said. “I really hope to show up and represent my own values. Values of inclusion, values of diversity and kindness.”
What is left unsaid is the belief that many of these values are under attack in the country whose flag she carries in competition.
Traditionally, American athletes avoid discussing politics on the world stage. But at the Milan-Cortina Games, several Americans joined Shiffrin to talk about the conflict of representing a country that may no longer represent their values.
“Representing the United States right now brings mixed emotions,” said freestyle skier Hunter Hess, who was referring to ongoing federal immigration raids in Minnesota. “It’s a little tough. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of.
“Just because I carry the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s happening in the United States.”
Hunter Hess, who will represent the United States in freeskiing at the Winter Olympics, says he has mixed emotions about representing the United States
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
This drew sharp criticism from President Trump, who took to social media to call Hess a “real loser.”
“He says he is not representing his country in the current Winter Olympics,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried to make the team, and it’s a shame he made it. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
This appears to be a minority view, however; As of Sunday, no U.S. Olympic athlete in Italy has spoken out in support of the Trump administration or its policies. Shiffrin and Hess, on the other hand, were not the only ones speaking out against them.
“A lot of people say ‘you’re just an athlete. Stick to your job, shut up about politics,'” figure skater Amber Glenn, an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights, said at a news conference last week. “But politics affects us all.”
Following his comments, Glenn said he received threats online.
The U.S. Olympic Committee did not respond to emails seeking comment, but USOPC guidelines allow athletes to speak out.
“The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee values the expression of Team USA athletes and believes that their right to advocate for racial and social justice and be a positive force for change absolutely aligns with the core values of equality that define Team USA and the Olympic and Paralympic movements,” the organization states on its website.
These guidelines support freedom of expression during press conferences and media interviews, provided that such comments do not directly target individuals or groups.
“I run for an American people who stand for love, acceptance, compassion, honesty and respect for others. I do not stand for hatred, violence or discrimination,” cross-country skier Jessie Diggins wrote on Instagram.
Chris Lillis, a freestyle skier who participated in the same news conference as Hess, said he was honored to represent the United States and that he “would never want to represent another country in the Olympics.”
But then, speaking about ICE’s activities in Minneapolis, he said: “I am heartbroken by what happened in the United States. As a country, we must focus on respecting everyone’s rights and making sure that we treat our citizens, as well as everyone, with love and respect.”
“I hope that when people watch the athletes compete in the Olympics,” he continued, “they realize that this is the America we are trying to represent.”
This message seems to have gotten through. During the parade of nations during Friday’s opening ceremony, the U.S. team received a warm welcome. But when Vice President JD Vance appeared on the stadium video board, he was booed.
The next day, a spectator at the figure skating venue unfurled an American flag whose stars and stripes were partially covered with a message. “My apologies to the world for our bad behavior,” we can read. “We’re going to fix ourselves!” ”
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