The conversation around national identity and Olympic representation returned to the spotlight after US Vice President JD Vance weighed in on US-born freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for China at the 2026 Winter Olympics. His remarks came during an interview as Gu continued her medal run in Milan-Cortina.
Gu’s latest outing at the 2026 Winter Olympics was on Monday, February 16, where she competed in the freestyle skiing Big Air event. She was looking to defend her Olympic title in this event; however, she ended up with silver, maintaining her Olympic medal streak. Before this performance, Gu competed in the women’s slopestyle, where she earned a silver medal.
In addition to her stacking Olympic medals at the 2026 Winter Games, she is also in the spotlight for competing for China despite being born and raised in the United States. Vice President JD Vance said that the athletes who are raised in the US and have benefited from America’s freedoms might be expected to compete for Team USA. In a conversation with Fox News, he said:
“I have no idea what her status should be. I think that’s ultimately up to the Olympics committee. 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 that they want to compete with the United States of America.”
He added:
“So, 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.”
Eileen Gu Pushes Back After Journalist’s “Two Silvers or Two Gold Lost” Question at the 2026 Winter Olympics
The spotlight on Eileen Gu intensified again at the 2026 Winter Olympics after the US-born freestyle skiing star delivered a sharp response to a journalist who questioned whether her two silver medals should be viewed as missed gold opportunities. The exchange quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the Games.
This conversation took place at a press conference after Gu’s silver in the women’s big air event. A journalist asked her to reflect on her results through the lens of missed gold medals. Delivering a calm yet clearly pointed answer, she said:
“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that’s an answer in and of itself. How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise, right? And so, the two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take.”
Opening up about delivering her best skiing, she added:
“I’m showcasing my best skiing. I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough. But, thank you.”
Eileen Gu has a total of five Olympic medals, including two golds, which she won at the 2022 Beijing Games, and three silver medals.
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