Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn is facing a firestorm after calling out President Donald Trump during a press conference in Milan. The Team USA star says the backlash got so hostile she’s stepping away from social media for her own safety.
Glenn, 26, made the comments on Feb. 4 after reporters asked how Trump’s treatment of the LGBTQ community affects her. She didn’t sugarcoat it. She said it’s been “a hard time” for LGBTQ Americans and that she refuses to stay silent.
That’s when everything exploded.
By Saturday, Glenn revealed she’d received what she called “a scary amount” of hate and threats. She posted the message on Instagram Stories. She made it clear the attacks started only because she answered a question she was directly asked.
“I used my freedom of speech,” she wrote. “Now I’m getting threats for it.”
Glenn said she expected some pushback. She did not expect the level of hostility she’s now dealing with. The pressure forced her to limit her time online. Even so, she says she won’t fold.
“I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in,” she wrote.
At the press conference, the skater rejected the idea that athletes should avoid politics. “Politics affects us all,” she said. She added that critics telling her to “stick to sports” won’t change her mind. She insisted her community is strong and that “brighter days are ahead.”
Glenn’s comments weren’t the only political shockwave inside Team USA this week. Freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess admitted they have “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S. this year. Lillis said he feels “heartbroken” over what is happening back home. Hess said wearing the American flag doesn’t mean he supports everything the country is doing.
The political tension hit the global stage days later. Vice President JD Vance appeared on screen during the Olympic opening ceremony. The Milan crowd booed. Immigration crackdowns and ICE raids back in the U.S. have triggered protests in several cities, including one held in Milan during the Games.
For now, Glenn is staying focused on competition. She’s staying off social media. And she’s staying outspoken — whether her critics like it or not.
We are sick to death of people like her; it’s her own damn fault for being just another stupid immoralist.
If you don’t like the country, move to one you think is better. As for the 2 other guys if you don’t respect the flag I fought for screw you and don’t put over your shoulders
She should remember that the American people don’t really give a damn about her orientation! And if she had a brain in her head, she’d keep it to herself! Otherwise, it’s a lesson she’ll learn the hard way! It’s this country that gave her the privileges and freedoms she has to compete in the Olympics! Honor your country first! Politics has no place on the world stage and you will only damage yourself as another discontented spoiled US child!