Vice President JD Vance took a jab at U.S.-born freestyle skier Eileen Gu over her decision to represent China in the Olympics, framing her choice as a betrayal of the American freedoms and opportunities that shaped her success.
Vance led the US delegation to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The Vice President, in an interview on Fox News’ The Story With Martha MacCallum, initially suggested the decision on which country she represents should be determined ultimately by officials. But, he strongly suggested that an athlete who grew up in America and benefited from its education system should want to represent America.
“I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America,” he said.
“So, I’m going to root for American athletes, I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I’m rooting for in this Olympics.”
🚨 BREAKING: VP JD Vance minces no words when asked about American-born Olympic athlete Eileen Gu betraying the US to compete for China — our adversary
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 17, 2026
"Someone that grew up in the USA, benefited from our system, freedom and liberty should want to compete with the USA."
"I'M… pic.twitter.com/4gRVNqwahR
JD Vance Slams Eileen Gu for Competing for China in Olympics, Says She Should Represent America
Eileen Gu, born in San Francisco to an American father and a Chinese mother, announced in 2019 that she would switch from competing for the United States to representing China. She cited her desire to honor her mother’s heritage and inspire young athletes there. Which, as we’ll discuss later, is a smokescreen for the true reason.
The 22-year-old Stanford University student, fluent in both English and Mandarin, won two gold medals and one silver medal for China at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, followed by two silver medals at the 2026 Games in Italy.
Under International Olympic Committee rules, athletes must hold citizenship in the country they represent, though dual nationals are allowed. However, China does not recognize dual citizenship, and Gu has consistently declined to clarify her status. You’d think the Committee would declare her attnetion-seeking decision to be null and void.
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There’s another reality to the Eileen Gu story. One that she’s basically prostituting her Olympic career while covering for China’s massive human rights violations.
Reports indicate that China has compensated Gu substantially for her allegiance, with the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau paying her and fellow U.S.-born athlete Zhu Yi a combined $6.6 million in 2025 alone, and nearly $14 million over the past three years to support their Olympic qualifications.
Amid her estimated $23 million in annual earnings, primarily from endorsements, Gu has faced sharp criticism for never publicly addressing China’s alleged human rights violations, including the repression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang and broader issues of free speech suppression.
Vance, meanwhile, has been very critical of American athletes who trash the country abroad, something we’ve seen quite a bit of at these Olympics.
“My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together, and when you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans,” Vance said. “You’re there to play a sport, and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics.”