Olympian Hunter Hess Sends Message To Trump With Finger Gesture Over 'Loser' Title
Hunter Hess has doubled down on his "mixed emotions" over representing the U.S. at the Olympics.
American skier Hunter Hess clearly wants a war with President Trump.
The Olympian infuriated Trump on February 6 when he made a political statement to the press about the current state of affairs in the United States. "It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now… there's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren't," Hess said.
Trump fired back by calling Hess a "real loser."
READ: American Skier Who Criticized U.S. At Olympics Now Says He Loves His Country
USA's Hunter Hess during the Men's Freeski Halfpipe Qualification at the Livigno Snow Park at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy on Friday February 20, 2026. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
Friday, during his event, Hess, a Bend, Oregon native, held up an "L" with his fingers after his qualifying run. It was a crystal-clear message to Trump. Say no more. The war is officially on.
Hess told the assembled press outlets that he was ready to embrace the "loser" title.
"Apparently I am a loser. I am leaning into it," he told the giddy LIB media in Italy, while noting that he wasn't taking back anything said during that Feb. 6 press conference.
"I stick with what I said. I love the United States of America. It means the absolute world to me to be able to represent Team USA here," Hess continued. "I sacrificed my entire life to make this moment happen. I’m not going to let controversy like that get in my way."
Hunter Hess of the United States during men's skiing halfpipe qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
He then went even further.
"I definitely wear it with some pride," Hess said of the "loser" title.