MILAN (AP) — The United States is “still a very welcoming place,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Tuesday at the Milan Cortina Olympics, which have been a focus of global concern about the country’s political direction.
The Republican governor faced pointed questions from European media at a news conference in Milan to promote the 2034 Utah Winter Games, exactly eight years before the opening ceremony.
The past Olympic week in Italy saw opinions on U.S. international diplomacy and domestic politics mixed liberally into the sports.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance was booed by fans at the opening ceremony; African members of the IOC quizzed organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games about visas for visitors; and U.S. athletes were asked about representing their country at this time — with President Donald Trump joining a backlash against them.
“We care deeply about the political situation that is happening in the United States right now,” Cox said, when asked by a German reporter to compare an upbeat Olympic vision from Utah with news from the U.S. shaped by Washington.
“Those are political issues that will be worked through,” the governor said, reminding that eight years until the Winter Games return to Salt Lake City is “a long ways away, for sure.”
“We have elections just like your country, in Germany. We will see how those things turn out,” said Cox, whose political style has been to promote civility over polarizing divisions.
The governor chided the media for asking U.S. athletes questions beyond sports, while adding “I love that we get to live in a country where people get to speak their minds.”
He suggested what is broadcast on the television news “isn’t the only thing happening in our country.”
“You will find it still a very welcoming place. We are a very welcoming country,” he said. “There are some differences of opinion right now when it comes to the way that laws are being enforced. That will play out.”
Cox shared the news conference with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Utah Winter Games organizing officials including Sarah Hirshland, chief executive of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Hirshland defended Hunter Hess, who Trump called a “real loser” after the freestyle skier said at a news conference he was “not the biggest fan” of all that is happening back home.
“It is important to us to ensure that anyone who is reacting to or commenting on something that someone said understands the totality and the context of what they said,” Hirshland said. “I have all the confidence in the world that every member of Team USA is proud to represent our country and understands the opportunity they have to bring people together."
“We are all here for that and that’s exactly what we’re going to,” she said.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
FILE - Hunter Hess, of the United States, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, Colo., Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)
FILE - Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks about Salt Lake City's bid to host the 2034 Winter Olympics, during the 142nd IOC session at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin extended her Olympic slump with a fourth-place finish in the new team combined event at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday after partner Breezy Johnson led the opening downhill leg.
Shiffrin, the most successful World Cup racer of all time with a record 108 victories — 71 of them in slalom, also a record — has now gone seven straight Olympic races without a medal.
“I didn’t quite find a comfort level that allows me to produce full speed,” Shiffrin said. "So I’m going to have to learn what to do, what to adjust in the short time we have before the the other tech races.
“I want to be careful not to make excuses because it’s not really an excuse. ... I’ve been so prepared for all the slaloms this year. So there’s something to learn from this day. And I’m going to learn it.”
After taking two golds and a silver from her first two Olympics, Shiffrin didn’t win a medal in any of her six races at the Beijing Games four years ago.
“No tricks here at all,” Shiffrin was told over team radio before her run on a course set by an Austrian coach. “Actually it’s nothing to report. You got it.”
But Shiffrin lost time to the leaders at every checkpoint and crossed 0.31 seconds behind — missing a medal by finishing 0.06 behind the other American team of Jaqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan, who took bronze. In the finish area, Johnson — who was coming off a gold in the individual downhill — embraced Shiffrin, while the podium finishers began celebrating.
Shiffrin and Johnson are childhood friends and Johnson had said after her downhill run, “I already have my gold medal. I hope that she has fun and does her best. But if anything happens I’m not going to be like, ‘Oh you ruined anything.’”
Ariane Raedler and Katharina Huber of Austria won gold.
The team combined consists of one racer competing in a downhill run and another in a slalom run, with the times from the two added together to determine the results.
Shiffrin still has her individual events of giant slalom and slalom to come.
In Beijing, Shiffrin didn't finish three of her six races and her best individual result was ninth in super-G. She has narrowed her focus for the Milan Cortina Games and is competing in only three events.
AP National Writer Will Graves contributed to this report.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
United States' Breezy Johnson celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, downhill portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, left, hugs teammates at the finish area during an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin at the finish area during an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin at the finish area during an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
