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American-born Team China skier Eileen Gu has responded to the global criticism she received during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Her decision to compete for China despite being born in the United States has made her a target for Americans and others around the world, and Vice President JD Vance weighed in by saying he hopes athletes born here “would want to compete for the United States of America.”
Gu was asked if he currently feels “like a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics” after his competition on Thursday.
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Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China attends the award ceremony of the women’s freestyle big air freestyle skiing event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Hongxiang/Xinhua via Getty Images)
“Yes,” he said, according to USA Today. “A lot of athletes compete for a different country… People just have a problem with them doing it because they lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really what they think it’s about.
“And also because I win. If I wasn’t doing well, I think they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s fine with me. People have a right to their opinions.”
Gu has previously said she was “physically attacked” for her decision to represent China.
“They called the police. I received death threats. They stole my bedroom.” Gu told The Athletic. “At 22 years old, I’ve been through some things that I truly believe no one should ever have to endure.”
EILEEN GU GETS REACTION FOR COMMENTING ON TRUMP’S STATEMENT WHILE REPRESENTING CHINA
Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China poses for photos after the award ceremony of the women’s freestyle big air freestyle skiing event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Wang Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Gu will compete in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe final on Thursday after winning silver in her first two events.
It will be the climax of an Olympic Games defined by immense global criticism of Gu.
He Wall Street Journal reported last week that Gu and Zhu Yi, an American-born figure skater who now competes for China, were paid a combined $6.6 million by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025 for “striving for excellent results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.” In total, the two were paid almost $14 million over the past three years.
Vance weighed in on the controversy surrounding Gu in an interview Tuesday on Pak Gazette’ “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”
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(left) Chinese team skier Eileen Gu, (right) vice president JD Vance (Getty Images)
“I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America and benefited from our educational system, from the freedoms that make this country a great place, I hope they want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said on “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”
“So, I’m going to support American athletesI think part of that is people who identify as Americans. “That’s what I support in these Olympic Games.”
