Milan Cortina Olympics: Hunter Hess uses Trump 'loser' comment as motivation after qualifying for finals

American skier Hunter Hess made an 'L' gesture after qualifying for the Olympic finals, turning criticism from Donald Trump into motivation. This is a strong response to public comments.
By Newsroom | Sports, Olympics |

American freeskier Hunter Hess, competing at the Milan Cortina Olympics, made an "L" gesture with his hand after a successful qualifying run. This action occurred following public comments from Donald Trump that labeled Hess a "loser." Hess stated that he used the situation as motivation, with the qualifying event marking the end of a difficult period for him.

American Hunter Hess responds to Trump’s ‘loser’ criticism with ‘L’ gesture at Milan Cortina Olympics - 1

Context of the Event

The interaction began when Hunter Hess made remarks about representing the United States, stating that wearing the flag did not mean he endorsed all actions of the country, but rather represented his friends, family, and the positive aspects of the U.S. that align with his values.

American Hunter Hess responds to Trump’s ‘loser’ criticism with ‘L’ gesture at Milan Cortina Olympics - 2

  • Hess's Initial Comments: Hess explained his perspective on representing the U.S., emphasizing support from friends and family and representing what he believes to be good about the country.

  • Trump's Response: Donald Trump responded via social media, calling Hess a "real loser" and suggesting that if Hess had such feelings, he should not have tried out for the team.

  • Hess's Reaction: After qualifying for the halfpipe finals, Hess made an "L" gesture, which he described as a message of support and a way to channel the experience into motivation.

Evidence of the Gesture and Motivation

Multiple sources confirm Hess's gesture and his statements about using the criticism as motivation.

American Hunter Hess responds to Trump’s ‘loser’ criticism with ‘L’ gesture at Milan Cortina Olympics - 3

  • Visual Confirmation: Images and reports from the event show Hess making the "L" sign after his qualifying run.

  • Hess's Statements:

  • Hess stated, "I worked so, so hard to get here. I used the episode with Mr. Trump as motivation to succeed." (Article 4)

  • He also said, "The message, he insisted, was really a message of support." (Article 4)

  • Regarding the difficult period, Hess described the preceding weeks as "the toughest of his life" (Article 5) and "probably hardest" (Article 8).

  • He further commented, "I've worked so hard to get here. There's been a lot of noise and a lot of hate out there." (Article 6)

Personal Impact and Training

The criticism from Donald Trump significantly impacted Hess, affecting his training and mental state leading up to the competition.

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American Hunter Hess responds to Trump’s ‘loser’ criticism with ‘L’ gesture at Milan Cortina Olympics - 4

  • Training Difficulties: Hess noted that training for the qualifiers was difficult amid the public attention and criticism. (Article 4) He also mentioned he was "riding in pain" due to a training accident. (Article 5)

  • Emotional Strain: Hess described the last two weeks as the "hardest weeks of my life" following the comments and subsequent online abuse. (Article 5) He said it was "a little hard" dealing with the situation. (Article 6, Article 10)

  • Injury Concerns: Reports indicated Hess may have broken his hand and had an MRI on his shoulder revealing bone bruising, though he believed he could still medal. (Article 8)

Hess's Perspective on Representation

Hess elaborated on his feelings about representing the United States, clarifying his initial statements.

  • Representation of Values: Hess stated, "Wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S. I'm representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S." (Article 3)

  • Alignment with Morals: He added, "I just think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I'm representing it." (Article 3)

  • Support System: Hess acknowledged the support he received, particularly from his family, which helped him navigate the difficult period. (Article 6)

Expert and Peer Commentary

Other athletes and commentators noted the challenges Hess faced.

  • Gus Kenworthy: While not directly quoted on Hess's gesture, Gus Kenworthy, a fellow U.S. skier, was mentioned as having offered support to Hess. (Article 9)

  • Peer Observation: A close friend of Hess, Liam Richards of Great Britain, noted it had been difficult to follow Hess's runs due to the circumstances. (Article 5)

Conclusion and Future Outlook

Hunter Hess has qualified for the Olympic halfpipe finals and has used criticism from Donald Trump as a source of motivation. Despite describing the preceding weeks as the "hardest of his life," Hess demonstrated resilience and focused on his performance. The incident highlights the intersection of athletic performance, public commentary, and personal impact on athletes during major international events. Hess's actions suggest a deliberate response aimed at reframing the criticism and reinforcing his personal connection to his representation of Team USA.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Hunter Hess make an 'L' gesture at the Milan Cortina Olympics?
Hunter Hess made an 'L' gesture after qualifying for the Olympic halfpipe finals. He said it was a message of support and a way to use criticism from Donald Trump as motivation.
Q: What did Donald Trump say about Hunter Hess?
Donald Trump called Hunter Hess a 'loser' on social media after Hess made comments about representing the United States. Trump suggested Hess should not have tried out for the team if he had mixed feelings.
Q: How did Hunter Hess feel about the criticism?
Hess said the criticism made the weeks leading up to the competition the 'hardest of his life.' He also mentioned dealing with online hate and training in pain due to an injury.
Q: What did Hunter Hess say about representing the USA?
Hess explained that wearing the U.S. flag means representing his friends, family, and the positive aspects of the country that match his values, not necessarily every action the country takes.
Q: Did Hunter Hess's performance suffer from the criticism?
Despite the emotional and physical challenges, Hess qualified for the Olympic halfpipe finals. He stated he used the criticism as motivation to succeed in his qualifying runs.