Vance speaks out on Eileen Gu's decision to compete for China instead of US in Olympics

Vice President JD Vance addressed the contention implicit Olympic skier Eileen Gu opting to vie for China alternatively of the U.S. connected Tuesday.

Vance admitted that helium has "no idea" what Gu's presumption "should be," during an interrogation connected Fox News' "The Story With Martha McCallum." But the VP said helium hopes that American citizens would take to vie for the U.S. connected the satellite stage.

"I person nary thought what her presumption should be, I deliberation that's yet up to the Olympics Committee, I won't unreal to wade into that," Vance said. 

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Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Team People's Republic of China looks connected during the medal ceremonial for the Women's Freeski Big Air connected time 10 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Livigno Snow Park connected Feb. 16, 2026 successful Livigno, Italy. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

"I surely deliberation that idiosyncratic who grew up successful the United States of America who benefited from our acquisition system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this state a large place, I would anticipation they privation to vie with the United States of America. So, I'm going to basal for American athletes, I deliberation portion of that is radical who place themselves arsenic Americans. That's who I'm rooting for successful this Olympics."

Gu has been astatine the halfway of planetary criticism, peculiarly from Americans, astir her determination to correspond China successful this Olympics. She represented China astatine the 2022 Beijing Winter Games arsenic well. 

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China's Eileen Gu reacts aft tally 2 of the Freestyle Skiing, Women's Freeski Slopestyle Final astatine the Livigno Snow Park, connected time 3 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy, connected Feb. 9, 2026.  (David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

She grew up successful California and went to Stanford, though her parent is simply a first-generation Chinese migrant successful the U.S.

She made her determination to vie for China successful 2019.  Gu said astatine the clip that it was an "incredibly tough" decision, and Americans weren’t excessively fond of her determination fixed the geopolitical hostility betwixt the U.S. and China.

Gu is the highest-paid Winter Olympic jock successful the world, making an estimated $23 cardinal successful 2025 unsocial amid partnerships with Chinese companies, including the Bank of China, and occidental companies. Gu has said she represents China for her mother, who was calved there.

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Eileen Gu of China competes successful tally 2 of the Women's Freeski Big Air Final connected time 10 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Livigno Snow Park connected Feb. 16, 2026 successful Livigno, Italy.  (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Wall Street Journal reported past week that Gu and Zhu Yi, a chap American-born fig skater who present competes for China, were paid a combined $6.6 cardinal by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau successful 2025 for "striving for fantabulous results successful qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics." In all, the 2 were reportedly paid astir $14 cardinal implicit the past 3 years.

Gu has ne'er spoken retired publically against China's alleged quality rights abuses, including the nation's alleged systematic run of repression against Uyghurs and different predominantly Muslim taste minorities successful the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, oregon the jailing of person Jimmy Lai. 

Gu has won 2 metallic medals successful freestyle skiing successful Milan Cortina, successful the slopestyle and large aerial events. She has 1 last event, the halfpipe, remaining connected Saturday, wherever she has the accidental to adhd to her total.

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