COLUMN: Hunter Hess, an American athlete dragged through the mud by Trump—when sports become hostage to politics

When Trump’s Hate Rains Down on Athletes

As soon as Trump posted his tweet, the mob went wild. Thousands of hateful messages flooded Hunter Hess’s social media accounts. Calls for a boycott. Insults. Threats. “Traitor.” “Un-American.” “Go live in China.” The worst clichés, the worst stereotypes, the worst attacks rained down on the athlete. “This is a witch hunt,” denounced a former ski champion. “They’re turning an athlete into a scapegoat simply because he dared to have an opinion.”

Worse still: pro-Trump influencers, like Jake Paul, have amplified the hate. “If you don’t want to represent this country, go live somewhere else,” the boxer wrote, before being photographed alongside JD Vance at a hockey game—an image that shocked many Americans. “Here’s a vice president who preaches unity, sitting next to a man who incites hatred against an athlete,” said a sports journalist indignantly. “The hypocrisy is total.”

Faced with this wave of hatred, some athletes have chosen to support Hess. “Hunter has the right to say what he thinks,” said a figure skater. “We’re here to represent our sport, not a government.” But others, fearing retaliation, prefer to remain silent. “No one wants to end up in Trump’s crosshairs,” confides a snowboarder. “We’ve all seen what he does to those who criticize him.”

I look at these hateful messages. These insults. These threats. And I think to myself: this is what a country becomes when fear replaces debate. When hate replaces respect. When a president uses his power to unleash the worst instincts of his supporters against a young man who has done nothing but speak his mind.

What revolts me is the violence. The violence of these words. The violence of these attacks. The violence of this mob lashing out at an athlete simply because he dared to express an opinion—an opinion that, by the way, is shared by millions of Americans.

And what’s even more unbearable is that this hatred isn’t spontaneous. It’s encouraged. It’s orchestrated. It’s used as a tool of power—to silence, to intimidate, to remind everyone that, in Trump’s America, dissent comes at a price.

But today, Hunter Hess showed that even in the face of this mob, we can still dare to say no. We can still dare to stand up for our values. We can still dare to be ourselves. And that is a victory. A victory over fear. A victory over hate. A victory that shows that, even in the face of utter darkness, we can still shine a light.

When Sports Become a Battleground for Cultural Conflicts

The Milan-Cortina Olympic Games were supposed to be a moment of unity—a time when the world comes together around sports. Yet from the very beginning, they have been tainted by politics. The presence of agents from ICE, the U.S. immigration enforcement agency, sparked massive protests in Italy. Thousands of people marched through the streets of Milan to denounce “the Trump administration’s violence.” “These Olympics are a source of pain,” the crowd chanted. “They only serve to gentrify cities and enrich the powerful.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. delegation, led by J.D. Vance, tried to play the unity card. “The whole country—Democrats, Republicans, and independents—we support our athletes,” the vice president declared. Yet the boos that greeted his appearance at the opening ceremony showed that this unity was an illusion. “People aren’t fooled,” explained one observer. “They can clearly see that these Olympics are being used as a propaganda tool.”

In this context, Hunter Hess’s statement takes on its full meaning. It shows that even in a space supposed to be apolitical, like sports, politics intrudes. It shows that even at the Olympic Games, athletes are forced to take a stand. It shows that, in the America of 2026, no one is safe.

I’m watching these Olympic Games in Milan. I see these protests. I hear these boos. And I think to myself: this is what sports become when they’re co-opted by politics. When they’re turned into a propaganda tool. When they’re used to divide, rather than to unite.

What strikes me is the hypocrisy. The hypocrisy of JD Vance, who talks about unity while supporting a president who divides. The hypocrisy of Trump, who uses the Olympics to crush his opponents. The hypocrisy of all those who turn a moment of coming together into a battlefield.

And what’s even more terrifying is that this political co-optation isn’t an accident. It’s a strategy. A strategy to silence dissenting voices. To remind everyone that, even in sports, dissent comes at a price. To turn athletes—who should be celebrated for their performances—into political targets.

But today, Hunter Hess showed that even in the face of this co-optation, we can still dare to say no. We can still dare to defend our values. We can still dare to be ourselves. And that is a victory. A victory against propaganda. A victory against manipulation. A victory that shows that, even in the face of the most powerful war machine, we can still fight. We can still win.

Three Ways to Defend Athletes and Sports

In the face of this trend, three measures are essential. First, unwavering support for athletes who dare to speak out. “Hunter Hess has the right to say what he thinks,” says a former champion. “We must all support him.” Second, a clear condemnation of political attacks against athletes. “The Olympics are not a political battleground,” the International Olympic Committee reminds us. “Athletes must be protected.”

Finally, there is the question of resistance. Faced with Trump and his supporters, American athletes must show that they will not be intimidated. “We’re here for sports, but we’re also citizens,” says a figure skater. “We have the right to our opinions. And we won’t let anyone take them away from us.”

And then there’s us. The spectators. The citizens. Those who, in the end, decide what becomes of the Olympics. Our role is not to look away. Our role is not to remain silent. Our role is to defend the athletes. To defend sports. To defend the values of unity and respect that the Olympics are supposed to embody.

I don’t know if Hunter Hess will win a medal at these Olympics. Maybe he will. Maybe he won’t. But one thing is certain: he has already won far more than a medal. He has earned the respect of all those who refuse to be intimidated. He has earned the admiration of all those who still believe that sports must remain a space of freedom and respect. He has earned the recognition of all those who know that, even in the face of Trump’s war machine, we can still dare to say no.

What strikes me is his courage. His courage to speak his mind. His courage to stand up for his values. His courage not to let himself be crushed.

And what’s even more inspiring is that he’s not alone. Behind him stand millions of Americans who share his values—who refuse to let themselves be divided, who refuse to be intimidated, and who refuse to let Trump turn sports into a political battleground.

So today, I say to myself: let’s keep supporting them. Let’s keep defending sports. Let’s keep defending the values of unity and respect. Because that’s what the real fight is about. Not for a medal. But for freedom. For dignity. For the right to say no.

When an Athlete Becomes the Face of the Fight Against Authoritarianism

Hunter Hess’s story will remain a symbol. A symbol of what a country becomes when a president uses his power to crush dissenting voices. A symbol of resistance in the face of authoritarianism. A symbol of the struggle to defend the values of sports and democracy.

Hess didn’t just criticize Trump. He showed that, even in the face of the most powerful war machine, we can still dare to say no. We can still dare to defend our values. We can still dare to be ourselves. And that is a victory. A victory over fear. A victory over hate. A victory over those who want to turn sports into a tool of division.

So today, in the face of his struggle, we no longer have the right to remain silent. We no longer have the right to look away. We no longer have the right to let this happen. Because if we accept that athletes are silenced, we accept that democracy is a farce. We accept that freedom of expression is an illusion. We accept that authoritarianism triumphs.

I look at Hunter Hess. I listen to him. I see his courage. And I tell myself: this is what resistance means. This is what courage means. This is what it means to refuse to be crushed.

What strikes me is his strength. His strength to say no. His strength to defend his values. His strength to refuse to be intimidated.

And what’s even more inspiring is that he’s not alone. Behind him are millions of people who refuse to let themselves be divided. Who refuse to be intimidated. Who refuse to let Trump turn sports into a political battleground.

So today, I say to myself: no. No, we will not accept athletes being silenced. No, we will not let hate triumph. No, we will not look the other way.

Because sports aren’t just about medals. They’re about values. About ideals. About struggles. And today, Hunter Hess embodies that struggle. A struggle for freedom. For dignity. For the right to say no.

And that is a victory that goes far beyond the Olympics.

Signed, Jacques Provost