American Hunter Hess responds to Trump’s ‘loser’ criticism with ‘L’ gesture at Milan Cortina Olympics

American freeskier Hunter Hess flashed an "L" manus awesome aft finishing his Olympic halfpipe qualifying tally Friday, an evident motion to President Donald Trump’s disapproval of the Olympian, who antecedently said helium had "mixed emotions" astir representing the U.S. astatine the Milan Cortina Games.

Hess shaped his scale digit and thumb to signifier the missive "L" and raised his manus to his forehead aft finishing his run. 

United States' Hunter Hess reacts during the men's freestyle skiing halfpipe qualifications astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics. Livigno, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

"Apparently," helium explained, according to The Associated Press. "I'm a loser."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The remark was a notation to Trump’s earlier disapproval of Hess, successful which the president called him a "real loser" successful a societal media station pursuing Hess’ arguable remarks astir representing the United States astatine the Olympics nether the existent administration.

 "I worked truthful hard to beryllium here. I sacrificed my full beingness to marque this happen," Hess said Friday. "I’m not going to fto contention similar that get successful my way. I emotion the United States of America. I cannot accidental that enough. My archetypal statement, I felt similar I said that, but seemingly radical didn’t instrumentality it that way. I’m truthful blessed to beryllium here, truthful blessed to correspond Team USA."

Hess was among a radical of U.S. freestyle skiers and different American athletes to code their thoughts connected representing the U.S. astatine Milan Cortina. During a property league earlier his events, Hess said helium had "mixed emotions" astir it.

Hunter Hess of the United States reacts portion competing successful the Men's Freeski Halfpipe Final during the Toyota US Grand Prix 2025 astatine Copper Mountain connected Dec. 20, 2025 successful Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

TEAM USA FREESTYLE SKIERS SPARK OLYMPIC OUTRAGE OVER REMARKS ABOUT REPRESENTING US: 'ANTI-AMERICAN RHETORIC'

"It brings up mixed emotions to correspond the U.S. close now, I think. It’s a small hard. There’s evidently a batch going connected that I’m not the biggest instrumentality of, and I deliberation a batch of radical aren’t," helium began. 

"I think, for me, it’s much I’m representing my friends and household backmost home, the radical that represented it earlier me, each the things that I judge are bully astir the U.S. If it aligns with my motivation values, I consciousness similar I’m representing it. Just due to the fact that I’m wearing the emblem doesn't mean I correspond everything that’s going connected successful the U.S.

"I conscionable benignant of privation to bash it for my friends and my household and the radical that enactment maine getting here."

President Donald Trump responded to his remarks successful a societal media station astatine the clip calling Hess a "real loser." 

Hunter Hess, of the United States, executes a instrumentality successful the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing lawsuit successful Copper Mountain, Colorado, Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a existent Loser, says helium doesn’t correspond his Country successful the existent Winter Olympics," helium wrote. "If that’s the case, helium shouldn’t person tried retired for the Team, and it’s excessively atrocious he’s connected it. Very hard to basal for idiosyncratic similar this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Hess said Friday that helium stands by what helium initially said, but added, "It means the implicit satellite to maine to beryllium capable to correspond Team USA here. I worked so, truthful hard to get here. I instrumentality with what I said."

Hess is 1 of 4 Americans that qualified for the 12-man halfpipe last connected Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.