LIVIGNO, Italy – Eileen Gu has brushed off suggestions from U.S. Vice President JD Vance that she should be competing for the United States at the Winter Olympics, calling his comments “sweet” and suggesting they stem from anti-China sentiment within Washington.
The 22-year-old freestyle skier, born and raised in San Francisco and a graduate of Stanford University, has chosen to represent China on the international stage since . Gu currently has two silver medals at these Games, adding to her impressive collection of two gold and one silver from the Beijing Olympics. Despite her success, her citizenship has remained a point of contention, particularly in the United States.
Vance, speaking during a Fox News interview earlier this week, expressed his hope that athletes who have benefited from the American education system and freedoms would choose to compete for the U.S. “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 said. He added that he would be “rooting for American athletes… people who identify themselves as Americans.”
Gu, who crashed in the first round of qualifying at the Livigno Snow Park on Thursday, responded to Vance’s remarks with a measured and playful tone. “I thought his comments were pretty, like, ‘What? He just said he wanted to celebrate Americans,’” she said. “I like it for him. I mean, he’s the vice-president of the US. Why would he not celebrate the US? I thought it was pretty straightforward. I don’t really feel offended by that.”
When pressed on Vance’s suggestion that she should compete for the U.S., Gu offered a succinct, “Oh, I’m flattered. Thanks, JD. That’s sweet.” However, she also hinted at a deeper motivation behind the criticism. “People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity and they just hate China,” Gu stated. “So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.”
Gu’s decision to compete for China is rooted in her desire to help popularize the sport within the country, believing the U.S. Already has ample representation. She has consistently emphasized her dual identity, stating, “Since I was little, I’ve always said when I’m in the US, I’m American, but when I’m in China, I’m Chinese.” She also highlighted her cultural fluency in both countries, having spent approximately 30 percent of her upbringing in China.
The International Olympic Committee permits athletes with dual nationality to represent either country, but China does not recognize dual citizenship. Gu has declined to comment on her specific citizenship status.
Gu’s situation is not unique. She pointed out that other athletes competing in the Games also have complex national ties. Avery Krumme, an American freeskier, previously competed for Canada until , and Lucas Ball of New Zealand was born in Canada before switching allegiance in . Even within the women’s halfpipe competition, British gold medal favorite Zoe Atkin was born in Massachusetts and maintains strong ties to the United States through her father.
“If I wasn’t doing well, I think people probably wouldn’t care as much,” Gu observed, suggesting that her success has amplified the scrutiny surrounding her choice of representation. She acknowledged that some individuals are simply unwilling to accept her decision, stating, “There’s a saying in Chinese… which means you can’t wake someone who’s pretending to be asleep, which just means, if someone is so convicted in their beliefs, I will never be able to justify or explain myself.”
Despite the external noise, Gu remains focused on her performance. She is a favorite to add to her medal count in the halfpipe event, despite qualifying in fifth position. She reiterated her commitment to inspiring the next generation of female athletes, a principle she has held since childhood. “I have said, I do what I do because I want to inspire the next generation of young women. I’ve said this since I was 10. No-one was paying me when I was 10. No country wanted me to ski for them when I was 10,” she said. “I’ve had the same principle since I was literally prepubescent. And so if people don’t believe me, at a certain point, that’s just on them.”
Gu concluded by emphasizing the Olympic spirit of unity and communication, expressing her hope that critics would embrace that ideal. “I just wish that people would adopt the Olympic spirit more,” she said. “That’s what this contest is about. It’s about bringing people together. It’s about using sport as a spirit of communication. And if they want to focus on the wrong things, they just have a sad little life.”
