Journalist Advocates for Vetting Team USA Athletes Based on ‘Patriotism’
Evita Duffy-Alfonso, daughter of Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, stirred debate by suggesting that Team USA athletes should undergo a patriotism assessment before representing the country at the Olympics.
During her February 18 appearance on Newsmax’s Carl Higbie Frontline, Duffy-Alfonso criticized figure skater Amber Glenn for her vocal opposition to former President Donald Trump. “I don’t know why we don’t start vetting these Olympians before they actually start to represent us overseas for their patriotism,” she stated, referencing a colleague's perspective from The Federalist.
Shawn Fleetwood, as cited by Duffy-Alfonso, argued that “the patriotic thing to do is actually to root against these unpatriotic Olympians because they’re going out bashing us. Why should we cheer for them? Why should we want them to win? It’s absurd.”
Higbie, 42, added his thoughts, remarking on Glenn’s performance: “She was a three-time reigning champ and was expected to at least win a medal. She flopped, got 13th place. So I’m thinking to myself, maybe she should focus on what she came [to the Olympics] for rather than political bashing of the Trump administration.”
As clips of the segment circulated online, Duffy-Alfonso faced backlash for her remarks. In response, she reiterated her stance on social media, stating, “Want me to say it again? Athletes who hate America shouldn’t be sent overseas to represent America. And while we’re on the subject, they can give back the Ralph Lauren gear too.”
A staunch supporter of Trump, Duffy-Alfonso is married to Michael Alfonso, a congressional candidate in Wisconsin who has pledged allegiance to the MAGA movement. Her criticism of Glenn follows the athlete’s candid discussion about her identity as a queer woman in a press conference leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Glenn expressed, “It’s been a hard time for the [LGBTQ] community overall in this administration. It isn’t the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights.” She emphasized the importance of solidarity among various communities during challenging times.
“I hope I can use my platform and my voice throughout these Games to try and encourage people to stay strong in these hard times,” Glenn continued. “Politics affect us all. It is something that I will not just be quiet about because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives.”
Identifying as bisexual and pansexual, Glenn later revealed that she needed to step back from social media due to the intense backlash her comments generated. “When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans, I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,” she shared via her Instagram Story earlier this month.
