2026 Olympians use global stage to criticize Trump administration
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Olympic rings in Tesero, Italy on Feb. 3. Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
The Winter Olympic Games are just beginning, but some athletes are already speaking out against the Trump administration and its immigration enforcement tactics.
The big picture: While the Olympic Charter prohibits political, religious or racial demonstrations at Olympic sites, athletes have used early interviews and social media posts to express their concerns.
- Team USA rebranded its hospitality house from Ice House to Winter House, distancing it from current immigration enforcement.
- Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha were met with loud boos Friday as Team USA entered the opening ceremony at the Milano-Cortina games.
The latest: Team Great Britain skier Gus Kenworthy shared a photo on Instagram that appeared to show 'f--k ICE' written in snow with urine just ahead of the Milan-Cortina games opening ceremony.
- The Olympian, who was raised in the U.S., also urged constituents to call their senators and "put pressure on them" during Homeland Security funding negotiations. He shared an example script.
- "Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough," Kenworthy wrote on Instagram. "We can't wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities."
- The backlash comes as Trump has expanded federal operations in Minnesota, which resulted in the killings of Minneapolis residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot by federal agents.
What they're saying: "I'm racing for an American people who stand for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty and respect for others," said Jessie Diggins, an Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing from Minnesota. "I do not stand for hate or violence or discrimination."
- Another Minnesota Olympian — Team USA hockey player Kelly Pannek — paused a post-game conference for her team the day after federal agents shot and killed Pretti, calling the operation "unnecessary and just horrifying."
- Snowboarder Stacy Gaskill, of Denver, shared on Instagram a photo of herself wrapped in the American flag "to honor those who chose people over power and center love and acceptance in the face of hate and fear."
- Her Olympic teammate, Bea Kim, of California, reiterated on IG last Saturday before heading onto sport's "biggest stage" that she stands for "love, compassion, and respect for everyone rule all."
State of play: Three-time U.S. figure skating champion Amber Glenn is making history as the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to compete in figure skating at this year's Olympics and came out as pansexual in 2019.
- Glenn said amid President Trump's rollback of protections for LGBTQ+ people, the community has been struggling, but this "isn't the first time that we've had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights."
- She added that while some people believe she should focus solely on sports, she will "not just be quiet" because the issues at stake affect "us in our everyday lives."
Go deeper: What delays? Milan's Olympic hockey arena opens with Italy win
