Currently, the 2026 Winter Olympics are finished in Milan, Italy, with it being the 25th Winter Olympic game. In a time of political divisiveness in the United States, the athletes that have shown up to represent the U.S. invigorate a patriotic feeling in the country’s populace.
The Olympics is currently hosting events from February 6th up until the 22nd. The sports take place in venues across Lombardy and Northeast Italy. This marks the 3rd Winter Olympic game held in Italy, and the 4th overall. As of now, all the sports have been concluded, such as the speed skating, freestyle skiing, alpine skiing, and figure skating events.
It’s undeniable that the U.S. is in a period of political turmoil, both among the people and within the government itself. Tensions between the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, have only increased with the two latest ICE-related deaths, and the continued release of the Epstein files. Despite this, the athletes that have shown up for the U.S. have gained a large amount of attention and support from their country. The efforts that they have put into their sport are immeasurable, especially with American athletes being majorly self sponsored and needing to endure great sacrifice to continue their practice.
One U.S. athlete that has stood out in the media is figure skater Alysa Liu, who has recently returned from her retirement from figure skating at age 16. The positive attitude she’s brought to a sport known for the strain its athletes’ go through has been infectious in the news, especially on social media sources like TikTok. It’s noteworthy that she’s connected strongly with teenagers, her social media pages reflecting the average attitudes of Gen Z. She’s more well liked among alternative crowds, being alternative herself with not only her style, having distinct eyeliner and three blonde halos in her hair to represent the passing years, but her general attitude of being uplifting and kind.
Meanwhile, other athletes have been more direct in their opinions on the current state of America. Olympic skiers Mikaela Shiffrin and Hunter Hess have explained in interviews that they aren’t necessarily there to represent the action or current political climate of the U.S., but are there to represent their families, friends, and the values of inclusivity and diversity the country was founded on. Olympic athletes often face backlash when they’re outspoken on politics, as the Olympics intend to be isolated from politics and represent the diversity and strength of athletes across the world. So, expectedly, Shiffrin and Hess gained both negative and positive online for their statements. However, President Trump himself made remarks against Hess and stated that Hess “did not represent the country,” and that it was “hard to root for someone like this.”
Regardless of current events, the Olympics always provides an opportunity for countries to come together and be connected through the efforts of the athletes put forth. This opportunity is especially invaluable in the U.S. given the high tension it’s experiencing. It’s hoped that Americans will look past their held biases and prejudices to recognize the diversity and excellence the nation has always strived for, now being realized in the Olympic games. And, in the meantime, Team USA has walked away with 33 medals, 12 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze medals, placing 2nd overall.
