JD Vance spits on free speech, tells U.S. Olympians that they are ‘not there to pop off about politics’

Vice President JD Vance just laid down the law for American Olympic athletes, stating they need to focus entirely on winning medals for the country and keep their political opinions completely to themselves. This is a massive statement that immediately sparks a debate about free speech versus national representation.

Vance didn’t mince words when reporters asked him about American athletes who have expressed deep reservations about representing the United States while some of President Trump’s more controversial policies are currently in play. “You’re not there to pop off about politics,” he declared this week. He went on to warn athletes that they “should expect some pushback” if they wanted to use the international platform for activism

I mean, wow. His blunt message echoes a stance set by Trump. According to The Hill, President Trump went after American skier Hunter Hess in a post on Truth Social. Hess had made a very reasonable statement, noting that “wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

So much for the First Amendment 

Trump responded to Hess, saying, “he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it.” Trump added that it was “very hard to root for someone like this.” It is a statement that immediately feels stressful for the athletes involved. They are training hard for one of the greatest achievements of their lives and for their country, but now they’re dealing with a massive public debate about their rights as citizens.

Naturally, other U.S. athletes have jumped in quickly to defend Hess and stand by their fundamental First Amendment right to use their platform to speak out on political issues that are important to them. I absolutely think they should be able to speak their minds. Just because you are an Olympian doesn’t mean you automatically lose your voice as a citizen, especially when you are being asked to represent a nation whose policies you might disagree with.

The political fallout isn’t just limited to the athletes, either. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are expressing significant frustration with the president’s decision to attack a U.S. athlete publicly. Some congressional members suggested that the president might be using this high-profile cultural fight as a distraction technique, trying to divert public attention from other issues currently facing his administration.

Trump’s recent aggressive moves in the foreign policy realm have also stirred up concern about how American athletes might be received during the Olympic Games overseas. Thankfully, the public made their stance clear at the opening ceremony, booing Vance while they cheered the athletes. Considering the work they have put into this, Team USA deserves support, not public reprimands, especially when they are simply exercising their right to free expression.