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Chloe Kim stands up for friend Hunter Hess after Donald Trump attack
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- Chloe Kim stands up for friend Hunter Hess after Donald Trump attack
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Star Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim made her thoughts clear about the discussions surrounding her friend and fellow Olympian Hunter Hess while talking to reporters on Monday. Kim was asked about US President Donald Trump 's social media backlash directed at the freeskier, who voiced that he didn't support ICE's crackdowns on residents in Minnesota and around the country.
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"My parents being immigrants from Korea, this one definitely hits pretty close to home. I'm really proud to represent the United States. The US has given my family and I so much opportunity, but I also think that we are allowed to voice our opinions of what's going [on], that we need to lead with love and compassion," Kim said.
"I think in moments like these, it is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another for all that's going on," the two-time gold medalist added.
Hess became a lightning rod for criticism from some after he was asked about his opinion on ICE's recent disruptive impact on the US. Hess responded, "Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the US," which resulted in a social media tirade from Trump, who called him "a real Loser," among other things. Fellow freeskier Eileen Gu, who was born in the US but competes for China, also made sure to jump to Hess' defense after winning a silver medal in the slopestyle event.
"As someone who's been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes," Gu said. "I'm sorry that the headline that is eclipsing the Olympics has to be something so … unrelated to the spirit of the Games," she said. "It really runs contrary to everything that the Olympics should be."
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Gu added that she had been in touch with Hess directly, and she said the two were unfortunately able to relate to one another over being publicly attacked. The Olympians will continue to navigate what Gu called "an unwinnable press war" as they attempt to rack up medals for the US, as the two-time Olympian prepares for the big air event on Saturday. Kim begins her journey at the 2026 Olympic Games in the halfpipe event on Wednesday.
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