The Ice Wars of 2026: US vs. The Olympic Truce
The 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games adhere to their vision of ‘harmony’, and with a games-wide motto of 'Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together,’ the Olympics clearly take a particular interest in promoting peace and great international achievement among countries in a global order that so often works to the opposite effect. The 1992 reinstating of the Olympic Truce, dating back to the ancient Olympic Games in 776 BCE and now reintroduced prior to every new host country, aims to protect this fellowship by overseeing the safe participation of both athletes and spectators.
However, with an estimated economic impact of EUR 5.3 billion, Italy finds itself especially occupied with the legacy of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Utilising one of the most imposing soft power assets available in the modern world, the Italian government hopes to develop infrastructure and innovation in order to strengthen Italy’s global standing.
In fact, the Olympic Games seem among the strongest diplomacy tools a country can introduce into turbulent state relations. Italy takes pride in leading diplomacy amidst humanitarian crises across the world through initiatives such as Food for Gaza and Italy for Sudan, following a trend of remarkable impact within the world of foreign affairs under Olympic supervision.
For example, Sochi 2014 allegedly delayed Russia’s invasion of Crimea until after the games, following concerns regarding oppression within the state. On a similar note, the political power of the Olympic Truce sparked a diplomatic boycott over China’s treatment of Uyghur people alongside the banning of Russian and Belarussian athletes as a result of their countries’ actions against Ukraine. In a highly publicised act of Olympic diplomacy, these athletes can now only compete as neutral entities, highlighting the control the Olympic Truce holds over some of the world’s greatest powers.
At the 2026 Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony, the 50 heads of state and government in attendance proved the international investment in the impact of the Olympic Truce and Italy’s ongoing development. Efforts from the Office of Sports Diplomacy engaged international media and enterprise; the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation released a statement on the day of the opening ceremony saying, “Italy has chosen to invest decisively in sports diplomacy, making it a structural component of its foreign policy action. The Olympic Games ... have always stood as universal symbols of peace, respect and inclusion. In an international context marked by conflict, sport remains a credible space for dialogue. The Olympic Games were born in the name of peace.” After this success, it would seem undeniable that the Olympic Truce is a great power in the world of diplomacy.
Despite this, the presence of ICE agents in Milan and Cortina is undeniable – it is hard to explain why and to what extent they have been granted a capacity at the games, especially as heads of state seem unable to agree on the matter. The Italian opposition has been highly vocal, accusing the government of “limited sovereignty” for permitting such influence from foreign security agencies. It seems clear that ICE is a negative force looming over the global scene; however, on paper their influence in the games is harmless. US security officials asserted that Homeland Security Investigations would be “strictly supportive - working with the Diplomatic Security Service and Italian authorities to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations;" in fact, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani agreed on Friday 23rd January that no ICE agents would enter Italy and that foreign delegations would employ individual security.
However, in a characteristically divisive and highly nationalist sentiment, the US Department of State clarified that, “DSS special agents will coordinate security, provide liaison and advisory support, and ensure a safe environment for U.S. delegations, [...] committed to ensuring the safety and security of Team USA—an enduring symbol of American excellence, achievement, and resilience.” This commanding statement of pride from the US perhaps highlights a trend of declining esteem for American foreign policy as the only state not to conform to the expectations of peace outlined in the Olympic Truce.
In fact, it wouldn't go amiss to say that the US – and the actions of ICE in particular – are now viewed with great distaste on a global stage, especially given critical moments such as JD Vance being booed at the Olympic opening ceremony. The consequences of Donald Trump’s actions seem entirely unacknowledged, with the president responding in a press release, “That’s surprising because people like him […] He doesn’t get booed in this country.” Similarly, NBC allegedly edited the audio to remove the boos for a US audience. With this growing reputation for dishonesty and distortion becoming more fraught during the anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 LA Summer Olympics, the destination of sports diplomacy in American hands is on thin ice.
Image Courtesy of Vice President JD Vance via Wikimedia Commons, ©2026. Some rights reserved.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the wider St Andrews Foreign Affairs Review team.
