'Treasonous' - VP Vance Goes Scorched Earth After Olympic Athlete Betrays US
Vice President JD Vance made clear this week that while he believes athletes raised in the United States should feel a sense of loyalty to compete under the American flag, he is not calling for government interference in Olympic eligibility decisions — even as controversy swirls around freestyle skier Eileen Gu and her decision to represent China.
During a Tuesday appearance on The Story with Martha MacCallum, Vance was pressed about criticism Gu has faced from Americans who view her choice as a betrayal of the country where she was born and educated.
MacCallum referenced accusations from some corners describing Gu’s move as “treasonous,” noting that the 22-year-old was born in San Francisco, raised in the Bay Area, and is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant mother. She also pointed to China’s troubling human rights record, including its treatment of Uyghur Muslims, before asking the vice president whether Gu’s Olympic status should be reconsidered.
“What do you think her status should be? Should it be changed?” MacCallum asked.
“Well, look I have no idea what her status should be. I think ultimately that’s up to the Olympics Committee, I won’t pretend to wade into that,” Vance said.
While declining to weigh in on official action, Vance articulated a broader principle rooted in national loyalty and gratitude for American opportunity.
“I certainly think that somebody who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that make this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said.
“I’m going to root for American athletes, and I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I’m rooting for this Olympics,” he added.
Gu, who attended Stanford University and began competing for China in 2019, has enjoyed remarkable competitive success. She won two gold medals and a silver medal while representing China at the 2022 Winter Games and this week secured another silver medal in the women’s freeski big air competition at the Winter Olympics in Milan. She has also become one of the highest-earning athletes at the Games, bolstered by lucrative endorsement deals in China.
The issue of national allegiance in international competition has also drawn attention from President Donald J. Trump, who has consistently championed unapologetic American pride. President Trump previously criticized skier Hunter Hess, calling him a “real loser” after Hess expressed having “mixed emotions” about competing for Team USA — underscoring the administration’s emphasis on national loyalty in global forums.
Gu responded publicly to Vance’s remarks in comments to USA Today after advancing to the freestyle skiing finals scheduled for Feb. 21.
“I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet,” she said.
When asked whether she felt like “a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics at the moment,” Gu replied, “I do.”
“So many athletes compete for a different country,” she said. “People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about,” she said.
Gu has maintained that her decision is rooted in her family heritage and a desire to grow winter sports in China. However, she also revealed that tensions surrounding her choice escalated beyond rhetoric. She told USA Today she was physically attacked on Stanford’s campus last year by someone angry that she chose not to represent Team USA.
“It was pretty serious,” she said, describing the incident as occurring in “broad daylight.”
At the heart of the controversy lies a larger cultural and geopolitical debate: What does national identity mean in an era of dual citizenship and global mobility? Olympic regulations permit athletes with dual nationality to choose which country to represent, provided they meet governing body requirements.
Vice President Vance stopped short of suggesting reforms to those rules. Instead, he returned to a simple position grounded in patriotism.
“I’m going to root for American athletes,” he said.
For many Americans, that sentiment reflects a broader belief that the freedoms, institutions, and opportunities offered by the United States carry with them an expectation — if not a legal obligation — of allegiance on the world stage.