JD Vance's motorcade at Winter Olympics left figure skater scrambling
JD Vance's motorcade in Milan delayed multiple athletes and staff heading to their events during the Winter Olympics in Italy.Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu was among those caught in the disruption, as the athlete nearly missed her skate after the vice president's oversized convoy blocked access to the Milano skating venue. Liu arrived with only minutes to spare, rushing into her costume and reaching the ice in time for her short program, her coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo, told the Washington Post.Liu was initially running late because she failed to gather all of her gear in time, according to the newspaper, who notes she appears 'to live in a perpetual state of controlled chaos.' She went on to finish second, behind Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, giving the United States an early two‑point lead over Japan in the three‑day event.For his part, Vance - and the US delegation - had flown into Milan earlier Friday on multiple aircraft carrying staff, security personnel, food supplies and vehicles. His ground convoy, made up of dozens of Chevy Suburbans, struggled through Milan's narrow streets. Italian outlet Local News filmed one of the vehicles nearly colliding with a car carrying Italian plates. JD Vance’s large motorcade clogged access roads around the Milan skating venue on Friday, delaying athletes and staff heading to their events Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu was caught in the disruption and arrived with only minutes to spare after Vance’s convoy blocked the venue entranceThe vice president has faced backlash throughout his trip. Spectators booed when Vance and his wife, Usha, appeared on arena screens during Thursday’s Parade of Nations, despite the IOC’s call for respect. The reaction followed confirmation that ICE agents would be involved in Olympic security. Officials insisted the agents would not carry out the aggressive enforcement tactics seen in the United States, but protests broke out across Italy. Milan's mayor, Giuseppe Sala, condemned the deployment, calling ICE 'a militia that kills' and saying its agents were not welcome in the city.Vance has long defended the agency, at one point claiming the ICE agent who killed Renee Good had 'absolute immunity,' a remark he later walked back. He has also labeled Good and Alex Pretti, another victim killed during the Minnesota ICE protests, as 'domestic terrorists.'Vance has attended Friday's figure skating competition and Thursday's women's hockey match between the United States and Czechia.Join the debateShould VIP security ever take priority over athletes¿ once-in-a-lifetime Olympic moments? US Vice President JD Vance attends during the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between USA and Finland at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic GamesA coordinated sabotage attack sparked fires and severed cables on key rail lines near Bologna, causing major delays of up to 2.5 hours on the first full day of the Winter Olympics. A track‑switch cabin near Pesaro was torched before dawn, electrical cables were cut in Bologna, and a rudimentary explosive device was found nearby, forcing a temporary shutdown of the state-owned Ferrovie dello Stato line between Bologna and Venice.Italy’s Transport Ministry called the attacks 'unprecedented' but said they would not damage the country’s image, noting that rail service returned to normal by afternoon. No group has claimed responsibility.The disruption unfolded as thousands marched in Milan against the environmental impact of the Games and the presence of US ICE agents. Police fired tear gas and used a water cannon on a smaller group that tried to reach a highway near the Santagiulia ice hockey venue. The larger protest remained peaceful and included families, students and activists opposing Olympic construction, US security involvement and fossil‑fuel sponsors.
