10 Photos of Snowboarder Chloe Kim, Who Defended Hunter Hess Over Trump's Attack: 'We Are Allowed To Voice Our Opinions'

Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim has made a name for herself in the sport since her teenage years, culminating in two Olympic gold medals. In the 2026 Olympics, Kim is looking to achieve a three-peat while also making headlines when she defended her fellow Team USA athlete Hunter Hess following disparaging remarks from President Donald Trump.

During a press conference at the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Kim voiced her support for Hess, who drew criticism from Trump for his earlier comments on how he felt representing the US given the current political landscape. Hess shared that he was struggling to represent his country because of the political climate. Trump, in a Truth Social post, called Hess a 'real loser' who should not have tried out for Team USA following his comments.

Standing Up for Her Teammate

'My parents being immigrants, this one definitely hits pretty close to home,' said Kim during the press conference. '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 and I think that I'm really proud to represent the United States.'

Kim, whose parents immigrated to the US from South Korea, continued, 'The US has given my family and I so much opportunity, but I think we are allowed to voice our opinions on what's going on.'

Ahead of the games, several lawmakers admitted to The Hill that they were concerned about how US athletes would be treated because of Trump's policies that have affected even those who are not from the US.

Who Is Chloe Kim?

Chloe Kim is an Olympic snowboarding athlete who has already established herself as one of the most prominent women in the sport. Kim started snowboarding when she was four years old, when her parents bought her first board. Over time, she would make a 12-hour round trip commute to Mammoth Mountain every weekend with her father to practise.

The dedication she had for the sport led Kim to become a prodigy, breaking into the snowboarding space as a teenager. Kim became the youngest athlete to score a gold medal at the Winter X Games in 2015, when she was just 14 years old. This achievement came despite initially being unable to compete at the 2014 Sochi Olympics due to her age.

By the time she was 15, Kim won two more gold medals at the 2016 Youth Olympics and at 17, Kim made her Olympic debut in the 2018 games in Pyeongchang. Kim won the first of her two Olympic gold medals for the halfpipe, also making history as the youngest woman at the time to win gold for snowboarding.

Kim won another gold medal in the 2022 Beijing Olympics and following her win, she announced that she would be taking a break from snowboarding to focus on her mental health. Kim would also become an advocate for mental health throughout her career.

Chloe Kim's Impact

There is no doubt that Chloe Kim has already made quite an impact in the sport, particularly in the representation of women and girls. South Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi even credits her as a mentor and inspiration. Choi would break Kim's Winter X Games record as the youngest to win the half-pipe at 14 years old.

Kim is one of the most decorated women snowboarders in history, having won all three major snowboarding titles—Olympics, X Games, and World Championships—a Youth Olympic title, and is tied with Shaun White for having the most wins in X Games history. Kim is also the first woman to defend her Olympic title in the sport.

She has also won several ESPY Awards, including Best Female Action Athlete, and was part of Time Magazine's list of the '100 Most Influential People'. Her 2025 halfpipe world title win secured her spot in the Team USA snowboard team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Potential to Win a Three-Peat for Milan-Cortina

Kim will be defending her title at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and is already highly favoured to win. Ahead of the games, Kim has openly talked about how she is preparing herself physically and mentally, especially following her mental health break. Kim emphasised rediscovering the joy of snowboarding, including doing the tricks she knew from her childhood, and defining her identity outside of being a decorated snowboarder.