Team USA skeleton athlete and Air Force staff sergeant Kelly Curtis has vowed to defend her teammates’ right to criticize America and Donald Trump.
A number of athletes have used the Winter Olympics platform to protest against Trump and a number of issues currently dividing America.
But Curtis, who finished in 12th place in the women’s skeleton and serves in the U.S. Air Force through the World Class Athlete Program, has refused to condemn those speaking out.
‘I love the First Amendment, and I love that I get to defend the country in whatever way I do on behalf of the First Amendment,’ she told Fox News.
‘My fellow Olympian teammates have the right to speak whatever they want, and I will defend their right to do so.’
She continued: ‘Whenever I put on the uniform that says the USA I’m proud to represent both my country and the U.S. Air Force. But to have it on the Olympic stage just makes it that much more special.’
Kelly Curtis has vowed to defend her teammates’ right to criticize America and Donald Trump
A number of athletes have used the Winter Olympics platform to protest against Trump
Last week, vice president JD Vance told athletes to stick to sport and not ‘pop off about politics’ after multiple US athletes in Italy spoke out.
Team USA freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillis, as well as the ice skater Amber Glenn and curler Rich Ruohonen, have all spoken out about escalating issues in the US during the past fortnight.
Vance said: ‘Yes, you’re going to have some Olympic athletes who pop off about politics. 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.
‘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.’
He added: ‘When Olympic athletes enter the political arena, they should expect some pushback.
‘But most Olympic athletes, whatever their politics, are doing a great job, 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.’
Trump responded to Hess’s comment by calling the Olympic athlete a ‘real loser’ who shouldn’t have ‘tried out for the team’ if he didn’t want to represent the USA.
‘Very hard to root for someone like this,’ he posted to Truth Social.
Curtis (second left) finished 12th in skeleton and serves in the U.S. Air Force through the World Class Athlete Program
The comments came after recent violent clashes in Minneapolis between immigration enforcement agents and anti-ICE protesters that resulted in the deaths of two Americans last month.
Conservative figures were furious over the backlash, with Trump official Ric Grenell telling Hess he should ‘move to Canada if you aren’t proud to wear USA.’
Women’s hockey Olympic gold medalist Kelly Pannek, who is from Minnesota, criticized ICE raids that led to the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti and said she is most proud to represent Americans ‘who brave the coldest days to advocate for their beliefs.’
And Lillis said he wouldn’t want to represent any other country, but admitted being ‘heartbroken’ over Trump-era immigration enforcement operations.
‘Athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things,’ Lillis said at a press conference.
‘I hope that when people look at athletes compete (sic) in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America we’re trying to represent.’
Freestyle skier Hunter Hess of Oregon was the most outspoken in his criticism of Trump
Women’s hockey player Kelly Pannek, who is from Minnesota, criticized Trump-era ICE raids
Other athletes were a bit less direct in their criticism of the president and his policies, and were more cryptic in their perceivably anti-Trump messaging.
Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins said in an Instagram post she does ‘not stand for hate or violence or discrimination’ and is racing for Americans who stand ‘for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty and respect for others.’
Glenn, a three-time US champion figure skater, said that under an administration demanding athletes ‘just be quiet’ and ‘stick to sports,’ she will continue to speak out about challenges the LGBTQ community faces.
At a pre-Olympic press conference, she said: ‘It isn’t the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights.’