![\"mber](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/X3136ZXL8m_jy_fNthiodLCbi70=\/1500x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/Amber-Glenn-United-States-Figure-Skating-Olympic-Team-Portrait-020726-0e832215c32b4aa19e00fc05a280e153.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n\n- Figure skater Amber Glenn said she’s received “a scary amount” of hate and threats after speaking about President Donald Trump<\/li>\n
- Glenn, 26, was asked a question about Trump at a press conference, and said it’s been “a hard time” for the LGBTQ community<\/li>\n
- Glenn said she will continue to use her platform and her voice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Team USA figure skater\u00a0Amber Glenn<\/a>\u00a0is defending her decision to publicly speak her mind on the state of America\u2019s political climate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nGlenn, who is the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in Olympic figure skating, was asked directly about\u00a0President Trump<\/a>, his treatment of the LGBTQ community and how it affects her at a press conference on Feb. 4 for the\u00a02026 Winter Olympics<\/a>\u00a0in Milan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe athlete, 26, told reporters that while it\u2019s been \u201ca hard time\u201d for the community, she hoped to use her platform and her voice \u201cto try and encourage people to stay strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOn Saturday, Feb. 7, Glenn revealed that her answers at the press conference had drawn backlash, including a \u201cscary\u201d number of social media hate and threats.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Amber](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/xVfZ2ur3Ww5YsxafsSOzcop80u0=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(421x0:423x2):format(webp)\/Amber-Glenn-Team-USA-figure-skating-press-conference-post-020726-f9919f02cee14254b8e95add7baa2052.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>Amber Glenn’s Instagram post.<\/span>Amber Glenn\/Instagram<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cWhen I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate\/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,\u201d she wrote on her Instagram Stories.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThe figure skater said that while she\u2019d expected to receive some backlash, it still \u201cdisappointed\u201d her. As a result, Glenn \u2014 who has a stacked few weeks of competition ahead of her \u2014 said she\u2019d temporarily be stepping away from social media, but would stand strong in her beliefs.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cI 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,\u201d she wrote, signing the message with a white heart and an \u201cXoxo.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nDuring the press conference, Glenn explained why she felt the need to speak out, dismissing critics who want her to \u201cstick to [sports].\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cI know that a lot of people will say, \u2018You\u2019re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,\u2019 but politics affects us all,\u201d she told reporters. \u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Amber](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/jRvs62FJmleenmuxs2HYASBQ-Jo=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/Amber-Glenn-Making-the-Team-020726-ff95159681014e4d8f4265b3f31eacc1.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>Amber Glenn skating in St. Louis on Jan. 11, 2026.<\/span>Matthew Stockman\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nGlenn\u2019s message comes after freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess\u00a0acknowledged that they\u2019re feeling \u201cmixed emotions\u201d<\/a>\u00a0about representing Team USA this year \u2014 a stance that polarized fans of the Olympics, as athletes have a history of refraining from wading into political matters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\u201cA lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what\u2019s happening in the United States,\u201d Lillis said at a press conference on Feb. 6, after being asked about representing the U.S. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure you\u2019re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody\u2019s rights and making sure that we\u2019re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nStill, Lillis said that he loves the United States, and \u201cwould never want to represent\u201d any other country at the Olympics.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nHess, meanwhile, said that just because he wears the U.S. flag on his uniform \u201cdoesn\u2019t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/396Sj8P2hj_ZkkH3nNlTNjFqfVM=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1085x507:1087x509):format(webp)\/Chris-Lillis-Hunter-Hess-020726-a16fae77a131468783ebe822b43ab72c.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>Chris Lillis; Hunter Hess.<\/span>Joe Scarnici\/Getty; Michael Reaves\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a little hard. There\u2019s obviously a lot going on that I\u2019m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren\u2019t,\u201d Hess said. \u201cI think for me, it\u2019s more I\u2019m representing my friends and family back home\u2026 all the things that I believe are good about the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVice President JD Vance was in town for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, and his appearance on screen at San Siro Stadium\u00a0drew boos from the crowd<\/a>. The country\u2019s immigration conversation has grown heated in recent months, particularly after the shooting deaths of\u00a0Renee Good<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Alex Pretti<\/a>\u00a0by federal agents in Minnesota.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nICE tactics, including the nearly two-week detainment of a 5-year-old boy, have drawn outrage from some, prompting national and international protests. On Feb. 6, citizens of Milan staged an anti-ICE protest in the Olympics host city.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Figure skater Amber Glenn said she’s received “a scary amount” of hate and threats after speaking about President Donald Trump<\/li>\n
- Glenn, 26, was asked a question about Trump at a press conference, and said it’s been “a hard time” for the LGBTQ community<\/li>\n
- Glenn said she will continue to use her platform and her voice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Team USA figure skater\u00a0Amber Glenn<\/a>\u00a0is defending her decision to publicly speak her mind on the state of America\u2019s political climate.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nGlenn, who is the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in Olympic figure skating, was asked directly about\u00a0President Trump<\/a>, his treatment of the LGBTQ community and how it affects her at a press conference on Feb. 4 for the\u00a02026 Winter Olympics<\/a>\u00a0in Milan.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThe athlete, 26, told reporters that while it\u2019s been \u201ca hard time\u201d for the community, she hoped to use her platform and her voice \u201cto try and encourage people to stay strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOn Saturday, Feb. 7, Glenn revealed that her answers at the press conference had drawn backlash, including a \u201cscary\u201d number of social media hate and threats.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>Amber Glenn’s Instagram post.<\/span>Amber Glenn\/Instagram<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u201cWhen I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate\/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,\u201d she wrote on her Instagram Stories.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThe figure skater said that while she\u2019d expected to receive some backlash, it still \u201cdisappointed\u201d her. As a result, Glenn \u2014 who has a stacked few weeks of competition ahead of her \u2014 said she\u2019d temporarily be stepping away from social media, but would stand strong in her beliefs.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cI 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,\u201d she wrote, signing the message with a white heart and an \u201cXoxo.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nDuring the press conference, Glenn explained why she felt the need to speak out, dismissing critics who want her to \u201cstick to [sports].\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cI know that a lot of people will say, \u2018You\u2019re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,\u2019 but politics affects us all,\u201d she told reporters. \u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>Amber Glenn skating in St. Louis on Jan. 11, 2026.<\/span>Matthew Stockman\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Glenn\u2019s message comes after freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess\u00a0acknowledged that they\u2019re feeling \u201cmixed emotions\u201d<\/a>\u00a0about representing Team USA this year \u2014 a stance that polarized fans of the Olympics, as athletes have a history of refraining from wading into political matters.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cA lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what\u2019s happening in the United States,\u201d Lillis said at a press conference on Feb. 6, after being asked about representing the U.S. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure you\u2019re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody\u2019s rights and making sure that we\u2019re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nStill, Lillis said that he loves the United States, and \u201cwould never want to represent\u201d any other country at the Olympics.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nHess, meanwhile, said that just because he wears the U.S. flag on his uniform \u201cdoesn\u2019t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>Chris Lillis; Hunter Hess.<\/span>Joe Scarnici\/Getty; Michael Reaves\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a little hard. There\u2019s obviously a lot going on that I\u2019m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren\u2019t,\u201d Hess said. \u201cI think for me, it\u2019s more I\u2019m representing my friends and family back home\u2026 all the things that I believe are good about the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVice President JD Vance was in town for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, and his appearance on screen at San Siro Stadium\u00a0drew boos from the crowd<\/a>. The country\u2019s immigration conversation has grown heated in recent months, particularly after the shooting deaths of\u00a0Renee Good<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Alex Pretti<\/a>\u00a0by federal agents in Minnesota.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nICE tactics, including the nearly two-week detainment of a 5-year-old boy, have drawn outrage from some, prompting national and international protests. On Feb. 6, citizens of Milan staged an anti-ICE protest in the Olympics host city.<\/p>\n