The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan barely got underway before MAGA influencers decided who they were rooting against: Team USA.
As American athletes took the world stage Friday, several conservative figures erupted after a handful of Olympians openly acknowledged discomfort with representing the United States amid President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Within hours, right-wing social media was flooded with accusations of “betrayal,” “disloyalty,” and calls for athletes to leave the country.
The backlash centered first on freestyle skier Hunter Hess, who spoke candidly with reporters about what it feels like to compete under the American flag in 2026.
“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” Hess said. “Just because I wear the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s happening in this country.”
The comment, measured by most standards, ignited MAGA outrage almost instantly.
Right-wing activist Jack Posobiec responded bluntly to his millions of followers: “Easily solved. Get out.”
Conservative columnist Marc Thiessen said he was now “rooting against” Hess, complaining that athletes should never speak about politics at the Olympics.
Figure skater Amber Glenn also became a target after making clear she would not stay quiet about politics under Trump’s second term.
“Politics affects us all,” Glenn told reporters. “It’s something I will not just be quiet about.”
Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly fired back online, calling Glenn “another turncoat to root against.”
The outrage escalated when boxer-turned-influencer Jake Paul, a vocal Trump supporter, weighed in.
“Wow pls shut the f— up,” Paul posted. “If you don’t want to represent this country go live somewhere else.”
Paul was seen attending Olympic events in Milan alongside Vice President JD Vance, who was audibly booed during the opening ceremony — a moment that quickly went viral online.
Several large MAGA accounts went further, openly declaring they wanted Team USA to lose.
Self-described “Ultra MAGA” influencer Vance Langman wrote, “I’m rooting against our men’s Olympic ski team,” calling the athletes “woke snowflakes.”
Rumble host Graham Allen echoed the sentiment: “I’d rather us lose with patriots than win with traitors.”
Another popular right-wing account told athletes to “take the uniform off,” insisting they no longer represented America.
Conservative columnist Buzz Patterson accused Olympians of “bashing the nation on my dime,” calling them “pampered kids.”
There was just one problem: U.S. taxpayers do not fund Olympic participation. American athletes rely on private sponsorships, donations, and nonprofit support, not federal dollars.
Newsmax host Rob Schmitt turned his attention to skier Gus Kenworthy, who now competes for Great Britain.
Schmitt accused Kenworthy of disrespect after a crude Instagram post mocking ICE, writing, “Congrats Olympians. On the first day, you convinced millions of people not to watch.”
The uproar fits a pattern.
MAGA figures have repeatedly clashed with international sporting events when athletes or ceremonies challenge conservative cultural norms. Conservatives erupted during the 2024 Paris Olympics after a drag-themed reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” appeared in the opening ceremony.
In 2026, the anger has turned inward — aimed squarely at American athletes who refuse to perform patriotism on command.
As Team USA continues competition in Milan, one thing is already clear: for MAGA, loyalty now means silence. And anyone who speaks out is no longer “American enough.”
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I am proud of our Olympians for being good Americans and believing in our Constitution! In a land made up by immigrants, offering them welcoming comfort is important for all true American citizens. The anti-immigrant people show a gross flaw in our education system in not teaching that the roll of all citizens is to welcome our new arrivals, the way the native Americans first welcomed the new immigrant Europeans!
If these anti-Americans don’t want to represent our wonderful USA, pull them off the teams…
And keep booting the ILLEGALS OUT of our country!
I remember how the socalled native Americans tried to kill our forefathers as they came here…
If you ever have a chance to spend time near the Mexican border, please pay attention to what you see. There is no rush of people trying to get into the USA. The only illegals one sees are men coming to work (largely in animal agriculture – where I worked). On paydays they send the bulk of their paycheck home to their families. When work slows down, as it does in this highly seasonal industry, they would all head back south to be with their families. The lying videos I ‘ve seen should make all Americans ill. I remember one of people hoping a fence to get into the USA. If you look at the vegetation in that video you will see it was filmed in either the central valley of California or Colorado. I can not believe the stupidity of Americans.
Dr. Schlatter
We are not anti immigrant! We are for LEGAL immigration!! There is a BIG difference and you libs just want to continue the lie. You really are pathetic people that spin the lie narrative to get votes because you can’t win on the issues.
They both have a right to say wh
What\’s up with the right-wing nuts?