Olympic Ice Reality Check: “Woke” Activism Meets Hard Truth for Team USA Skater

At the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, a moment that was supposed to showcase American athletic dominance instead became a sobering reality check. Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn — widely known for her outspoken political activism — finished a disappointing 13th after a critical mistake during her routine.

Glenn successfully landed a rare triple axel but failed to execute a required triple loop, causing the element to be invalidated and leaving her with no points in that category. The costly error crushed her medal hopes and left her visibly emotional on the ice.

The result quickly drew attention because Glenn had spent months using her platform to criticize the Trump administration and speak about LGBTQ political issues. She previously claimed it had been a “hard time” for that community under the administration, comments that sparked backlash from many Americans.

Following an earlier team-event gold, Glenn doubled down on the controversy by posting on social media that critics “hate to see two woke b—es winning,” defending her activism while representing Team USA.

The Olympic outcome reinforced a long-standing argument: athletes representing the United States should prioritize discipline, unity, and performance over political messaging.

The controversy extended beyond sports media. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance publicly urged Olympic athletes to “play your sport” rather than use the global stage to criticize their own country, emphasizing that the Games should unite Americans.

Many conservative outlets echoed the sentiment, framing Glenn’s result as symbolic of a broader cultural shift where ideological activism, they argue, increasingly distracts from excellence and national pride.

Glenn’s performance has now become more than an Olympic storyline — it has evolved into a cultural flashpoint in America’s ongoing debate over politics in sports.

For many on the right, the lesson from the Olympic ice is simple and stark: when focus shifts away from training and toward political battles, the scoreboard does not bend to ideology.

And in Milan, under the unforgiving glare of Olympic lights, the results spoke louder than any speech or social media post ever could.