In the snowy drama that’s turning the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics into a full-blown culture-war circus, Florida Panthers star and Team USA hockey forward Matthew Tkachuk has reportedly thrown his considerable weight (and even more considerable chirp) behind the growing calls to boot freestyle skier Hunter Hess from the country he claims to represent—sort of.

According to the latest wave of red-white-and-blue outrage sweeping social media and conservative corners, Tkachuk—fresh off praising the honor of wearing the stars and stripes and calling out teammates like Caroline Harvey as “Bobby Orr-level” legends—has had enough of the “mixed emotions” crowd. Sources close to the locker room (or at least close enough to post inflammatory headlines) claim the NHL tough guy demanded that the “woke athlete” (that’s Hess, for those keeping score at home) be stripped of his U.S. citizenship for daring to say the quiet part out loud: “Just because I wear the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

Yes, you read that right. In a press conference that will live in infamy, Hess committed the cardinal sin of nuance. While most Olympians stick to the script—”I’m just thrilled to be here, God bless America”—Hess went rogue with mild ambivalence about current events back home. Cue the apocalypse: President Trump labeled him a “real loser” on Truth Social, boycott calls erupted like overpriced espresso at the Olympic village, and now even hockey’s resident agitator Matthew Tkachuk is allegedly piling on with deportation demands.

Picture it: Tkachuk, the guy who once orchestrated three fights in nine seconds against Canada, now channeling his inner ICE agent. “DEPORT THAT CLOWN,” the imagined headline screams, as if Hess had personally insulted the bald eagle instead of politely declining to cosign every policy from 3,000 miles away. Stripping citizenship over a press-conference soundbite? Bold move for a nation that prides itself on free speech—unless that speech involves “mixed emotions,” apparently.

Of course, the facts are a bit less explosive. No verified quote exists of Tkachuk literally calling for Hess’s deportation or citizenship revocation. Instead, the hockey star and his brother Brady have been positioned as the anti-Hess heroes: proud, grateful, 100% Team Red-White-and-Blue-no-questions-asked. While Hess clarified his love for the country (with the standard “but things could be better” disclaimer), the Tkachuks doubled down on pure patriotism, earning MAGA high-fives and White House shoutouts. It’s the perfect contrast: one athlete embraces the flag like it’s a Stanley Cup trophy; the other treats it like a jacket he wears ironically.

The backlash has been predictably unhinged. Social media patriots demand Hess “go live somewhere else,” with some suggesting Mexico’s team has an opening. Boycott threats loom larger than an Olympic halfpipe. And somewhere in the mix, the idea that an American citizen criticizing aspects of his own government equals treason has taken root faster than fake news in a group chat.

In the end, Hess isn’t getting deported (citizenship revocation isn’t exactly a quick process over hurt feelings), and Tkachuk probably isn’t drafting executive orders from the penalty box. But the saga perfectly captures 2026 America: where wearing the flag is mandatory enthusiasm, nuance is betrayal, and even Olympic athletes must pick a side—or risk becoming the next viral “clown.”

Stay tuned, folks. The Games continue, the outrage machine churns, and somewhere Hunter Hess is probably just trying to land a trick without starting World War III. Mixed emotions, indeed. 🇺🇸❄️

JD Vance Tells Olympic Athletes to ‘Play Your Sport,’ Not ‘Pop Off About Politics’

Vice President JD Vance on day one of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, ItalyAndreas Rentz/Getty; Elsa/Getty

Vice President JD Vance is voicing his opinion on U.S. athletes who have spoken out about politics at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Vance, 41, was asked by a reporter about the subject after a number of U.S. athletes shared their thoughts on the state of America’s political climate at the Olympic games amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants.

“Yes, you’re going to have some Olympic athletes who pop off about politics,” Vance said, according to a clip shared by a CNN reporter on X. “I feel like that happens every Olympics.”

“My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together, and when you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans,” he continued. “You’re there to play a sport, and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Usha Vance watch the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter OlympicsAlexander NEMENOV / AFP via Getty

He went on to say that when “Olympic athletes enter the political arena,” they should “expect some pushback.”

“But most Olympic athletes, whatever their politics, are doing a great job,” he added. “Certainly enjoy the support of the entire country, and I think recognize that the way to bring the country together is not to show up in a foreign country and attack the President of the United States, but it’s to play your sport and to represent the country well.”

Freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess and ice skater Amber Glenn are some of the athletes who have voiced their thoughts about representing the U.S. amid the political turmoil.

Lillis, 27, shared during a Feb. 6 press conference that while he “would never want to represent” any other country than the U.S. at the Olympics, he was “heartbroken” over what was happening in the U.S.

“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” he said. “I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”

Hess, 27, meanwhile, said it “brings up mixed emotions” to represent the United States at the 2026 Games, adding, “It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t. I think for me, it’s more I’m representing my friends and family back home… all the things that I believe are good about the United States.”

Hess added that “just because I wear the flag, it doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.”

Two days later, Trump, 79, slammed Hess on social media, saying he finds it “hard to root for” the skier’s victory now.

“U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics,” the president wrote on Truth Social on Sunday, Feb. 8. “If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it.”

Glenn, 26, also chimed in during a press conference on Feb. 4 about why she felt the need to speak out on the U.S.’ current political climate, saying, “I know that a lot of people will say, ‘You’re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,’ but politics affects us all.”

“It’s something that I will not just be quiet about, because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives. So of course there are things that I disagree with, but as a community, we are strong and we support each other, and brighter days are ahead of us,” she added to reporters.

Glenn shared days later that she would be taking a break from social media, saying that her press conference comments had drawn a “scary” amount of hate and threats online.

“I will be limiting my time on social media for my own wellbeing for now but I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in,” she wrote, signing the message with a white heart and an “Xoxo.”

The delegation of the United States parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan on Feb. 6, 2026Du Xiaoyi/Xinhua via Getty

Olympic bronze medal–winning rugby player Ilona Maher, who attended a women’s hockey game at the 2026 Olympic Games, joined the chorus of Team USA players who have made political statements on Tuesday, Feb. 10, writing on Instagram, “When I say, ‘Go USA!’ I am not condoning what is happening in my country.”

“I say, ‘Go USA!’ for all the athletes who I believe are a beautiful representation of what America should be: Those that are following a dream like so many of their ancestors who dreamt of a better life and came to America for that,” Maher, 29, wrote. “I say, ‘Go USA’ in hopes that we will become a country who doesn’t just say ‘love thy neighbor’ but actually embodies it.”

Vance was in Italy for the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Feb. 6, and his appearance on screen at San Siro Stadium drew boos from the crowd. The country’s immigration conversation has grown heated in recent months, particularly after the shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.

ICE tactics, including the viral detainment of 5-year-old boy Liam Conejo Ramos, have drawn outrage and prompted national protests. On Feb. 6, citizens of Milan staged an anti-ICE protest in the Olympics host city.