HuffPost faces backlash over article about feeling ‘discomfort’ rooting for USA

HuffPost was called out on Sunday for a piece headlined, “There’s A Name For The Discomfort You’re Feeling Watching The Olympics Right Now,” as critics quickly posted photos of American athletes celebrating with their flag.

The outlet posted the piece on social media with the caption, “If waving the American flag or chanting ‘USA!’ turns you off right now, you’re not alone.”

“While President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda separates families, and federal agents detain 5-year-olds and kill unarmed civilians, American athletes are winning medals on behalf of the nation at the Olympics right now,” the piece reads. “This whiplash between pride for United States competitors and national shame for the federal government is common.”

HuffPost pointed to Olympians who have expressed disdain for the current government in reaction to recent events, such as the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. For example, Hunter Hess, an Olympic skier, who said, “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of. Wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything going on in the U.S.”

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Critics posted photos of the USA Men’s Hockey team celebrating with American flags on Sunday after winning the gold medal over Canada.

Wisconsin GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany responded to the post with a bald eagle stomping on a Canadian goose along with the caption, “Proud to be an American today, tomorrow, and every day. USA! USA! USA!”

“If you can’t be excited about winning gold at the Olympics— including in OT vs Canada, you don’t have a pulse. Some people will pick victimhood and being miserable over having an ounce of patriotism. Good luck,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-OK, wrote on X.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., said in response to the HuffPost piece, “Get the hell out of my country. USA! USA! USA!”

Others also responded with “USA” chants, including author and former investment banker Carol Roth.

Podcast host Stephen Miller, along with others, reacted with a photo of the men’s hockey team after their victory on Sunday.

Chris Freiman, a professor at William & Mary, argued on X, “It’s a strategic mistake for the left to cede patriotism to the right rather than correctly point out that the right has actually betrayed American principles.”

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“If you can’t separate things, you need to work on your adulating skills,” Andrew Donaldson, an editor for Ordinary Times magazine, wrote. 

Targeted Victory’s Logan Dobson pointed to a Gallup graphic showing results of a polling question about feeling pride in being an American. He wrote, “

CNN’s Audie Cornish and New York Magazine contributing editor Will Leitch floated the idea during a podcast episode last month that the United States would be the “global villain” at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Leitch joined Cornish for her podcast, “The Assignment,” on Jan. 22, and discussed an article that Leitch wrote in March 2025, headlined, “The United States Is Becoming a Global Sports Supervillain.”

The article cited multiple occasions in which the American national anthem was booed at Canadian sporting events. Leitch noted the booing during the conversation with Cornish, and said Russia had been basically banned from the world stage, because of its invasion of Ukraine.

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