As the Winter Olympics officially begin in Italy, some US athletes They are sharing their thoughts on representing the United States amid a turbulent political climate.
For the most part, American athletes speak in general terms about their opinions, avoiding direct criticism of any individual or organization.
“I love the United States, and I think I would never want to represent another country in the Olympics. That being said, you know, a lot of times athletes are hesitant to talk about political opinions and talk about things. I’m heartbroken about what happened in the United States,” Team USA freestyle skier Chris Lillis told reporters on Friday. Referring to ICE’s actions in Minneapolis and protests against them.
“I think as a country we need to focus on respecting everyone’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens and everyone with love and respect,” Lillis said. “And I hope that when people look at the athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that this is the America we’re trying to represent.”
Hunter Hess, another freestyle skier on Team USA, said his feelings about representing the U.S. on the international stage were complicated by the political situation at home.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images 
“I think right now, representing the U.S. brings mixed emotions, I think. It’s hard. Obviously, there’s a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t. I think I’m representing my friends and family at home, the people who represented before me, the good things that were said before me. “I think, if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that happens in the US. So yeah, I want to do it for my friends and my family and the people who helped me get here.”
On Wednesday, Texan figure skating champion Amber Glenn, who will compete in her first Olympics with Team USA, said. America’s LGBTQ community He was struggling in the Trump administration.
“It’s been a tough time for the (LGBTQ) community as a whole in this administration,” Glenn told reporters. “It’s not the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try to fight for our human rights, and now, especially, it’s not just affecting the queer community, it’s affecting many other communities, and I think we’re able to support each other in a way that we didn’t have to before, and because of that, it’s made us a lot stronger.”
Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty Images 
“I hope I can use my platform and my voice during these games to encourage people to stay strong during these tough times,” Glenn said. “I know a lot of people say you’re just an athlete, like stick to your job, shut up about politics, but politics affects us all. It’s something I’m not going to shut up about because it’s something that affects us in our daily lives. So obviously there are things I don’t agree with, but as a community, we’re stronger and brighter in each other’s minds, and we’re brighter today.”
Gus Kenworthywho is competing for Great Britain at these Olympics, but has dual UK and US citizenship and previously competed for Team USA, has posted a photo an explicit post on social media condemning ICE earlier this week. The message was written in urine in the snow.
In the caption, Kenworthy posted a script about when Americans call their elected officials to speak out against funding ICE and the Border Patrol.
“Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough. We cannot stand by while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities,” Foote continued.
Asked whether Kenworthy would be disciplined for the post, an International Olympic Committee spokesman told the British Press Association that the organization “does not regulate personal posts on social media”.
“At the Olympic Games, all participants have the opportunity to express their opinions according to the athlete expression guidelines,” said the spokesperson.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images 
In addition to domestic policies, several actions by President Trump have sparked outrage abroad, including recent threats to seize control of Greenland.
At the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday, Vice President JD Vance he received joys and impulses on the field.
Sarah Hirschland, CEO of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said earlier this week that members of Team USA were prepared for a possible mixed reception from international crowds during the games.
“We don’t anticipate a lot of negative energy on the field of play, but we’ve done a lot of preparation for the games with the athletes so they feel comfortable and don’t walk into an uncertain environment,” Hirschland said. “They know the resources available to them in the event of an uncomfortable situation.”