The opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics promises to be spectacular, but also politically charged. This Friday, US Vice President JD Vance is due to lead the official US delegation to the San Siro stadium, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Their presence, in keeping with diplomatic tradition which requires a senior American official to attend the Games, could however turn into a delicate moment. For several days, calls to whistle them have been circulating on social networks and in the press, testifying to the tense climate between Washington and part of European opinion.
American activist Charlotte Clymer thus published a message on X explicitly calling on spectators to insult the American delegation and especially JD Vance. “Give him a hard time,” she wrote. We encourage you to do so. We would also like to be there to boo him. »
This type of initiative reflects a more general growing exasperation with the political line defended by the Trump administration and relayed by Vance and Rubio, seen as the leaders of a critical front towards Europe. The vice-president’s recent speeches, notably in Berlin, as well as certain directions of American defense policy, have been interpreted as direct attacks against European allies.
The IOC calls for “calm and respect”
Aware of the risk of incident, the International Olympic Committee called for calm. Its president, Kirsty Coventry, expressed the hope that the opening ceremony would be “an opportunity to respect” each other, recalling that the Olympic spirit should transcend geopolitical tensions.
She also hoped that American athletes would not bear the brunt of this climate: “No one asks what country they come from or what their religion is. They’re just together. It is a real opportunity to realize how we could all live together. So I hope the opening ceremony achieves that goal and reminds everyone of how we could be. »
But on the ground, the signals are less calm. The confirmation of the presence of agents linked to the American immigration police ICE to support the security of the American delegation has sparked heated controversy in Italy.
Protesters against ICE
Thousands of demonstrators have marched in Milan in recent days to denounce the arrival of this unit associated with Washington’s migration policy. Banners, petitions and positions taken by local elected officials fueled the controversy.
“This is a militia that kills,” insisted Giuseppe Sala, the mayor of Milan. It’s a militia that issues its own authorizations to enter people’s homes, just like we signed our own exit authorizations at school, except that it’s much more serious. They are not welcome in Milan. Can’t we just say no to Trump for once? »
In this context, the reception given to JD Vance and Marco Rubio during the parade of nations could become a revealing moment for the transatlantic climate.
