U.S. star Kim calls for unity after Trump's bashing of Hess - ESPN

LIVIGNO, Italy — Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu, two Olympic standouts who have faced their share of hate over the years, each weighed in Monday on Donald Trump's bashing of their friend, American freeskier Hunter Hess, for having said he didn't back the U.S. president's heightened crackdown on immigrants.

«I think in moments like these, it is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another for all that's going on,» said Kim, the two-time Olympic gold medalist whose parents are South Korean immigrants and who has faced racism throughout her career for her Asian heritage.

Gu, the American-born freeskier who competes for China, said after her silver-medal win in slopestyle that she had been in touch with Hess, who told her she was one of the few people who could relate to what he's going through.

«As someone who's been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,» said Gu, who was born in San Francisco and whose decision to compete for China turned her into a lightning rod.

Hess drew Trump's ire when he was asked by reporters to give his views on the immigration crackdown that has claimed the lives of two protestors in Minnesota and disrupted thousands of lives of immigrants and U.S. citizens. Hess answered: «Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S.»

The next day, Trump lashed out at Hess on his Truth Social account, calling him «a real Loser» and saying he would be hard pressed to root for him at the Games. Hess' friends — snowboarders and freeskiers competing this week in Livigno — were asked for their reaction.

«My parents being immigrants from Korea, this one definitely hits pretty close to home,» said Kim, who begins defense of