The 2026 Winter Olympics officially kicked off in Italy last week. 93 countries, including the United States, are being represented.

This year’s games, co-hosted by the cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, have 232 American athletes competing in a variety of sports. Viewers from all over the world have their eyes on the U.S., including the national media.

Multiple American Olympians have been asked in press conferences about how they feel representing their country amidst its current political climate, specifically, with heightened immigration enforcement actions. 

Many have vocalized their thoughts, including freestyle skier Hunter Hess. He described feeling mixed emotions about his situation.

“If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it,” Hess said. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

In response to his comments, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to share his disapproval of Hess’s remarks, calling him a “real loser” who should’ve stayed at home.

Trump even went as far as to say it’s hard to root for American Olympians who are speaking out against his administration’s policies, outright questioning their loyalty to their home country. 

Contrary to what Trump believes, no one can doubt the U.S. Olympians’ patriotism towards America. 

Patriotism is defined by Merriam-Webster as “love for or devotion to one’s country.” 

Olympians go through a rigorous multi-stage competition cycle just to earn the honor of wearing the red, white, and blue. Hours of training, dieting, and back-breaking labor just for a chance to strap Team USA across their chest. 

They embody Patriotism in its entirety and are the epitome of the American dream. 

Nobody goes through this gauntlet for nothing. It’s a chance to show what your country is made of. To compete against the world’s best on a global scale — an opportunity that only comes once every four years. 

Our flag, at its core, represents the best part of the United States. Freedom, liberty, and democracy. But to millions of Americans, the stars and stripes remind them of the downward spiral our country’s trajectory has taken.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is infiltrating sanctuary cities, targeting naturalized citizens and harmless immigrants alike. Gun violence still persists, and our government is beyond corrupt.

To put it quite frankly, the U.S. is a mess. 

All Olympians have the right to feel strange about representing a nation that’s currently operating against its core values. It doesn’t mean they hate America. 

Frustration isn’t unfaithfulness. 

True American patriots want their country to be better. Acknowledging injustice isn’t unpatriotic; it shows a desire to improve — to be great.

America’s core values are making a place where all people, regardless of sex, religion, or nationality, can thrive. Currently, the unalienable rights protected in our nation’s foundational documents are under attack, and countless Olympians are advocating for change. 

These athletes are simply standing up for their country — that’s what true American patriots do. They strive for their country to be not just good, but great.

After all, what’s more patriotic in Trump’s eyes than making America great again?