Olympic Figure Skater Amber Glenn Steps Away from Social Media After Receiving 'Threats' for Speaking Out Against Trump
- - Olympic Figure Skater Amber Glenn Steps Away from Social Media After Receiving 'Threats' for Speaking Out Against Trump
Rachel DeSantisFebruary 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM
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Amber Glenn in St. Louis, Missouri on Jan. 11, 2026.
Matthew Stockman/Getty
Figure skater Amber Glenn said she's received "a scary amount" of hate and threats after speaking about President Donald Trump
Glenn, 26, was asked a question about Trump at a press conference, and said it's been "a hard time" for the LGBTQ community
Glenn said she will continue to use her platform and her voice
Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn is defending her decision to publicly speak her mind on the state of America’s political climate.
Glenn, who is the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in Olympic figure skating, was asked directly about President Trump, his treatment of the LGBTQ community and how it affects her at a press conference on Feb. 4 for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The athlete, 26, told reporters that while it’s been “a hard time” for the community, she hoped to use her platform and her voice “to try and encourage people to stay strong.”
On Saturday, Feb. 7, Glenn revealed that her answers at the press conference had drawn backlash, including a “scary” number of social media hate and threats.
“When 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,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories.
The figure skater said that while she’d expected to receive some backlash, it still “disappointed” her. As a result, Glenn — who has a stacked few weeks of competition ahead of her — said she’d temporarily be stepping away from social media, but would stand strong in her beliefs.
“I 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,” she wrote, signing the message with a white heart and an “Xoxo.”
During the press conference, Glenn explained why she felt the need to speak out, dismissing critics who want her to “stick to [sports].”
“I know that a lot of people will say, ‘You’re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,’ but politics affects us all,” she told reporters. “It’s 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.”
Amber Glenn skating in St. Louis on Jan. 11, 2026.
Matthew Stockman/Getty
Glenn’s message comes after freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess acknowledged that they’re feeling “mixed emotions” about representing Team USA this year — a stance that polarized fans of the Olympics, as athletes have a history of refraining from wading into political matters.
“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” Lillis said at a press conference on Feb. 6, after being asked about representing the U.S. “I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”
Still, Lillis said that he loves the United States, and “would never want to represent” any other country at the Olympics.
Hess, meanwhile, said that just because he wears the U.S. flag on his uniform “doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.”
Chris Lillis; Hunter Hess
Joe Scarnici/Getty; Michael Reaves/Getty
“It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t,” Hess said. “I think for me, it’s more I’m representing my friends and family back home… all the things that I believe are good about the United States.”
Vice President JD Vance was in town for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, and his appearance on screen at San Siro Stadium drew boos from the crowd. The country’s immigration conversation has grown heated in recent months, particularly after the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.
ICE 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.
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
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Source: “AOL Sports”
