US Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance were booed by the crowd gathered at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Italy’s Milan on Friday (Feb 6). As they appeared on the big screen at the San Siro stadium, applauding and waving US flags, Vance and his wife were greeted with boos during the Parade of Nations as the crowd expressed disapproval of them.

“There’s the vice president, JD Vance, and his wife, Usha—oop,“ CBC commentator Adrienne Arsenault said during the broadcast of the opening ceremony. “Those are not—oh, those are a lot of boos for him. Whistling, jeering, some applause.”

In contrast, the team of US athletes participating in the Winter Olympics were cheered and received a warm welcome in Italy.

The boos came despite an advisory issued by the International Olympic Committee to refrain from heckling the US delegation amid geopolitical tensions.

“I hope that the opening ceremony is seen by everyone as an opportunity to be respectful of each other,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said.

“No one is asking what country they come from or what religion. They are all just hanging out,” she said. “It was a real opportunity to put into perspective how we could all be. And so, for me, I hope that the opening ceremony will do that and will be a reminder for everyone how we could be.”

Trolling the VP, former vice president Kamala Harris wrote on X, “Everyone booed anyway. Sad!” She was referring to the advisory.

What did Trump say?

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump was asked by reporters whether he was aware of the incident.

“The vice president got booed during the opening ceremony. What do you make of that frosty reception?” a reporter asked.

“No. Is that true? Is that right?” He replied. “It’s surprising because people like him. Well, I mean, he is in a foreign country, you know, in all fairness. He doesn’t get booed in this country.”