Vice President J D Vance Booed At Milan Olympics

The Winter Olympics are a time when the world’s attention turns to athletic prowess and the ideals of international unity. But on February 6, 2026, at the Opening Ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Games in Italy, politics took center stage for a brief, charged moment. Vice President J.D. Vance, representing the United States, was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd when his image appeared on the massive screens at San Siro Stadium. The rare public rebuke of a sitting American vice president at such a globally watched event has since become a flashpoint for debate, revealing the complex intersection of sports, diplomacy, and current events.

According to USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan, who has covered 22 Olympic Games, such a reaction is almost unheard of. "It’s very rare to hear boos at an Olympic opening ceremony. In my 22 Olympics it probably has happened but I sure don’t remember it. Vice President JD Vance just got booed when he appeared on the big screen. The US athletes, on the other hand, received loud cheers," Brennan wrote on social media, as reported by The Big Lead. Her words echoed the surprise felt by many in the stadium and those following the events online.

The Milan-Cortina Olympics themselves are historic in their own right, stretching across four cities and 265 miles, from the snowy Dolomites to the bustling streets of Milan. Organizers leaned on movie magic, a golden ring motif, and a stirring performance by Andrea Bocelli to bridge the geographical gaps and reinforce the Games’ central theme: harmony. "Let these Games be a celebration of what unites us, of everything that makes us human," International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry declared, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times. It was a message that seemed at odds with the discordant moment that followed Vance’s appearance.

For American athletes, the reception could not have been more different. The 323-strong U.S. delegation, the largest in the country’s Winter Olympics history and the biggest at these Games, marched into San Siro Stadium to cheers and whistles. Flag bearers Erin Jackson and Frank Del Duca led the team, their entrance celebrated by the crowd in Milan and audiences worldwide. But when the cameras shifted from the athletes to the stands, where Vance and his wife Usha waved small American flags, the mood in the stadium changed. "There is the vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha – oops, those are not … uh … those are a lot of boos for him. Whistling, jeering, some applause," a CBC commentator noted, as reported by The Guardian.

Notably, American viewers watching NBC’s coverage would have missed the negative reaction entirely. The boos and jeers were not audible on the U.S. broadcast, with the commentary team simply noting Vance’s presence. The White House later posted a sanitized clip of Vance applauding, without any crowd noise, on its social media channels. This isn’t the first time U.S. broadcasters have shielded viewers from crowd reactions to political figures; at the 2025 U.S. Open, organizers asked networks to avoid showing disruptions or negative responses to President Trump’s attendance, as reported by The Guardian. Still, footage of the Milan incident quickly circulated on social media, sparking debate and discussion back home.

The roots of the crowd’s disapproval were not difficult to trace. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Milan had seen protests against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the Games. According to The Los Angeles Times, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee clarified that while it works with federal agencies to secure the Games, its primary liaison is the Diplomatic Security Service, not ICE. U.S. officials stated that ICE agents were present in Italy solely "to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations," not to enforce immigration laws. Yet, for many Italians and Europeans, the presence of ICE, coupled with the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, stoked anger and resentment.

Vice President Vance himself is a polarizing figure on the international stage. He has publicly supported President Trump, criticized NATO and its member nations, defended the administration’s controversial capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and advocated for strict immigration crackdowns in the United States, actions that have sometimes resulted in fatalities. According to The New York Times, Vance’s stances have made him a lightning rod for criticism abroad, particularly in Europe, where Trump’s recent remarks about the U.S. taking control of Greenland from Denmark have also caused diplomatic friction.

Dominik Hasek, the legendary Czech NHL goaltender and 1998 Olympic gold medalist, summed up the sentiment on social media: "Given his and his president’s attitudes and actions, the booing was nothing surprising." Hasek’s comment, shared widely on Twitter/X, resonated with many who saw the crowd’s reaction as a reflection of broader discontent with current U.S. policies.

The Milan-Cortina Games are already unique for their expansive footprint, spanning seven sports zones and being the first Winter Olympics officially hosted by two cities. The logistical challenges are immense, but organizers have sought to use technology and symbolism to foster a sense of unity. The opening ceremony featured synchronized events in Milan, Livigno, Predazzo, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with athletes from around the world parading across spiral-shaped stages and through golden ring portals. Italian culture was on full display, from risotto and snowy Dolomite vistas to high-fashion models dressed in the colors of the national flag.

Yet, the ceremonies also highlighted the geopolitical tensions of the moment. The ongoing war in Ukraine has kept most Russian athletes out of the competition, with only 32 Russian and Belarusian athletes allowed to participate as neutrals—stripped of their flags and anthems. Ukrainian athletes, by contrast, were met with loud cheers as they marched into San Siro Stadium. Even the Israeli delegation received a mixed response, with both boos and cheers greeting their appearance, according to The Guardian.

For some American athletes, the political climate weighed heavily. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess admitted to having mixed emotions about representing the United States. "There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of," he told The Guardian. "Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US." His words captured the ambivalence felt by many who find themselves caught between pride in their country’s athletes and discomfort with its political leadership.

As the Olympic flame was passed to twin cauldrons in Milan and Cortina, and Andrea Bocelli’s voice soared through the night, the ideals of harmony and unity were on full display. But the boos for Vice President Vance served as a reminder that the Olympics, for all their pageantry and symbolism, cannot entirely escape the realities of politics and global opinion. The Milan-Cortina Games will continue for sixteen days, but the echoes of that brief moment in San Siro Stadium are likely to linger far longer, both on the world stage and in the conversations of those who witnessed it.