{"id":125840,"date":"2026-02-28T06:13:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T06:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/125840\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T06:13:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T06:13:22","slug":"livvy-dunnes-baseball-star-boyfriend-goes-viral-for-polarizing-comments-about-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/125840\/","title":{"rendered":"Livvy Dunne’s baseball star boyfriend goes viral for polarizing comments about America"},"content":{"rendered":"

By JAMES COHEN, SPORTS REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 09:30 EST, 27 February 2026 | Updated: 09:53 EST, 27 February 2026 <\/p>\n

MLB star Paul Skenes has divided opinion after sharing his views on representing America at the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> star – who is also boyfriend to former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne – will suit up for Team USA at the tournament which begins on March 5th.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The WBC follows on swiftly from the 2026 Winter Olympics<\/a>, where Team USA won a record 12 gold medals and finished second in the medal table.<\/p>\n

However, controversy arose after\u00a0multiple Team USA athletes used their platform to decry the political climate of the country<\/a>, as well as the Trump Administration.<\/p>\n

Now, ahead of the WBC, Skenes has spoken out about what it means to represent America, as well as reflecting on Team USA’s success at the Games.<\/p>\n

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<\/a>, he said: ‘Yeah, men’s hockey, women’s hockey, all the golds that we won in the Olympics.\u00a0We’re America. We’ve got to assert our dominance over everyone else. That’s what we do.<\/p>\n

\"MLB <\/p>\n

MLB star Paul Skenes has divided opinion after sharing his views on representing America<\/p>\n

\"Skenes <\/p>\n

Skenes is the boyfriend of gymnast-turned-influencer Livvy Dunne and the most recent Cy Young Award winner<\/p>\n

Speaking on the WBC, the Pittsburgh Pirates star continued: ‘It’s going to be fun. If USA wins, it’s what we do. [We’ve] got to keep it going.<\/p>\n

‘We’re doing it to represent the men and women that are fighting for us, along with many other things that make this country the greatest country in the world.<\/p>\n

‘That puts it into perspective a little bit,’ said Skenes, who has previously spoken about his admiration for the US military having begun his college baseball career with the Air Force Falcons.<\/p>\n

Skenes’ comments swiftly went viral on social media, with fans left divided over his claims in light of the recent controversy at the Winter Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It began after\u00a0Team USA<\/a> free skier Hunter Hess\u00a0admitted he had ‘mixed emotions’ about wearing the Stars and Stripes during the 2026 Games in Milan.<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old skier previously stated that representing the United States was ‘a little hard’ given the current political situation at home.<\/p>\n

In response, Trump labelled the Olympian – who finished 10th in his event at the Games – as a ‘loser’ who should never have tried out for the team.<\/p>\n

‘U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\" \"Fans <\/p>\n

Fans ripped into Skenes for his comments which went viral on Thursday evening<\/p>\n

\"On <\/p>\n

On Team USA’s success at the Winter Olympics, Skenes said: ‘We’re America. We’ve got to assert our dominance over everyone else. That’s what we do.’<\/p>\n

\"Team <\/p>\n

Team USA ski star Hunter Hess sparked controversy over his anti-Trump comments\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Donald <\/p>\n

Donald Trump ranted about ‘loser’ Hess and sparked ‘the worst two weeks’ of the skier’s life\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’<\/p>\n

Hess had sparked the initial fury by telling reporters that wearing the flag did not mean he represented ‘everything that’s going on in the U.S.’.<\/p>\n

‘There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of,’ Hess said. ‘Wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.’<\/p>\n

He further explained: ‘I’m representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S. I just think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it.’<\/p>\n

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