Feb. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. snowboarder Chloe Kim called for compassion in leadership when asked Monday about President Donald Trump's slight of Team USA skier Hunter Hess at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Hess drew attention when he told reporters at a news conference that he doesn't "represent everything that's going on in the United States" when asked about ICE and recent protests of immigration enforcement tactics. Trump responded Sunday on Truth Social by calling Hess " a real loser."
"I'm really proud to represent the United States," Kim told reporters Monday in Livigno, Italy. "The U.S. 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 and that we need to lead with love and compassion. I would love to see some more of that."
Kim, who is attempting to become the first snowboarder in history to win the gold medal in the halfpipe at three consecutive Olympics, is the daughter of South Korean immigrants.
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