Updated Feb. 17, 2026, 9:26 p.m. ET
Vice President JD Vance suggested San Francisco-born skier Eileen Gu should be competing for the U.S. as the Stanford student accumulates medals representing China in the Olympics.
“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 said Feb. 17 when asked about Gu during a Fox News interview. “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.”
Gu, 22, is a freestyle skiing star who has won two silver medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, adding to her three medals − including gold in the big air and halfpipe − from the 2022 games in Beijing. Her mother is from China, and Gu also represented the country in 2022. Her father is from the U.S.
Gu’s Olympic bio says she embraces her “multicultural upbringing” and is fluent in both English and Mandarin.
The International Olympic Committee requires athletes to be citizens of the nation they represent, and “a national of two or more countries at the same time may represent either one of them.” China does not allow dual citizenship and Gu has refused to comment on her citizenship status.
“I have no idea what her status should be,” Vance told Fox News. “I think that’s ultimately up to the Olympics committee.”
The Trump administration has clashed with China on trade issues. Vance led the U.S. delegation to the Olympics. He was booed during the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan after appearing on the jumbotron. He shrugged it off, telling reporters Feb. 11 that he “had a great time at the Olympics.”
“I think the media made much ado about nothing with the fact that, yes, in a crowd of 30,000 people, there were certainly some people who disagreed with my policies or the policies of the administration,” Vance said.
The vice president defended President Donald Trump recently after he lashed out at U.S. freestyle halfpipe skier Hunter Hess. Trump called Hess a “loser” after the Olympic athlete said he had “mixed emotions” about representing his country right now.
“You’re not there to pop off about politics,” Vance said. “So when Olympic athletes enter the political arena, they should expect some pushback.”
Contributing: Chris Bumbaca
