U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was loudly booed when he appeared on the big screen during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday night. Vance and his wife, Usha, were shown waving American flags inside San Siro Stadium as Team USA was introduced.
NBC commentators noted that the crowd’s reaction included hissing aimed at Vance, while later cheers were believed to be for the American athletes rather than the Vice President. The moment underlined how political tensions spilled into the sporting event, with Team USA receiving mixed reactions and Vance facing clear hostility.
The incident came shortly after Vance attended an Olympic ice hockey match in Milan alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and two Olympic gold-medal-winning hockey sisters. Both Vance and Rubio are seen as possible contenders for the 2028 Republican presidential race. Organisers had expected some political backlash, as Israel’s delegation at the ceremony was also booed by parts of the crowd.
Vance’s visit coincided with rumours in Italy about possible involvement of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the Games. Italy’s Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, dismissed the claims, saying ICE has no authority to conduct operations in Italy and would only be present for information sharing if at all.
Meanwhile, Team USA arrived in Milan with a record-breaking 232 athletes, marking its largest Winter Olympics delegation ever.
