Trump Ditching Winter Olympics
The White House confirmed Saturday that U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead the official American delegation to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy, where he is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
According to the administration, the delegation will also include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Second Lady Usha Vance, U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta, and a group of celebrated American Olympic gold medalists.
The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin on February 6 and will feature one of the most ambitious opening ceremonies in Olympic history.
For the first time ever, the Parade of Nations will be staged across multiple locations. While the main ceremony will take place at Milan’s legendary San Siro, drawing an audience of approximately 60,000 spectators, athletes will also be introduced simultaneously from mountain venues in Cortina, Predazzo, and Livigno.
The White House noted that President Donald Trump will not be part of the official delegation, though senior administration officials emphasized strong U.S. representation at the international event.
Several iconic American athletes will accompany the delegation, underscoring the nation’s Olympic legacy. Among them are twin sisters Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando, members of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team, along with Olympic figure skating champion Evan Lysacek and two-time gold medalist Apolo Ohno from short track speed skating.
Administration officials said the delegation reflects America’s continued commitment to international sportsmanship, national pride, and supporting U.S. athletes as they compete on the global stage.
