Boos drown out Winter Olympics for ‘first time in 22 years’ as JD Vance appears on screen

The 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Milan was meant to be a celebration of sport and global unity but it took a decidedly political turn when one American political figure drew a chorus of boos from the crowd.

As athletes from countries around the world paraded into San Siro Stadium, the atmosphere was largely festive. The Italian crowd cheered on competing nations, and Team USA received warm applause as skaters and snowboarders marched under the stars.

But that applause suddenly shifted when Vice President JD Vance appeared on the giant screen alongside his wife, Usha. Spectators could clearly be heard jeering and whistling, drowning out the dignified moment that officials had hoped would reflect Olympic spirit.

It wasn’t just Vance who felt the chill. Israel’s small Olympic delegation also met with scattered boos as they entered the stadium though those sounds were quickly overtaken by the occasion’s soundtrack and celebratory music.

The reaction underscores broader tensions playing out far from the ski slopes and ice rinks. Long-standing disagreements over international policy, immigration enforcement, and the role of national leaders on the world stage appear to have seeped into what is usually one of sport’s least political hours.

Notably, while the crowd’s response was audible in the stadium and picked up by some international broadcasters, the U.S. television feed did not feature much if any of the boos, focusing instead on the athletes’ entrance.

For many watching, the moment served as a reminder that even the historic Winter Games can’t entirely escape the realities of the world beyond the Alps.