JD Vance suggests Olympic medalist Eileen Gu ought to compete for the US as a substitute of China after benefiting from American system | EUROtoday

Vice President JD Vance advised that American-born skier Eileen Gu needs to be competing for the U.S., as she racks up medals whereas competing for China within the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Vance stated throughout a Tuesday interview with Fox News that he has “no idea” what Gu’s standing “should be,” however that he hoped American residents would select to compete for the U.S. on the world stage.

“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,” Vance stated.

“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.”

The 22-year-old freestyle skier has received two silver medals in 2026, including to her assortment of two Gold and one silver medals from the 2022 video games in Beijing. Even although she is essentially the most adorned feminine Olympic freestyle skier, Gu’s citizenship has been some extent of rivalry. Gu was born and raised in San Francisco and attended Stanford, however has competed in each Olympics representing China, the place her mom is from.

Her reasoning behind that call is that she needs to assist make the game extra mainstream in China, because the U.S. “already has the representation,” she instructed Time Magazine.

The International Olympic Committee requires athletes to be residents of the nations they signify, noting on its website {that a} “competitor who is a national of two or more countries at the same time may represent either one of them.”

However, China doesn’t acknowledge twin citizenship and Gu has declined to touch upon her citizenship standing.

“I have no idea what her status should be,” Vance stated on Fox. “I think that’s ultimately up to the Olympics Committee, I won’t pretend to wade into that.”

Vance appeared in Milan for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony — and was promptly booed after showing on stadium screens.

Commentators made be aware of the shift from applause for the American athletes to boos after the vp and his spouse, Usha Vance, appeared on digicam.

“There’s the vice president and his wife, Usha; those are not, oh, those are a lot of boos for him,” one commentator stated on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s protection.