JD Vance Has Perfect Response To Eileen Gu, American-Born Athlete Competing For China
The 2026 Winter Olympics have become a referendum on what it means to be American, thanks to California-born and raised skier Eileen Gu.
Gu has competed for China since 2019 and represented the country again at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Her decision – and her selective silence when asked about Chinese politics – has angered many people.
Martha MacCallum, Fox News host request Vice President JD Vance for his thoughts on Gu in an interview Tuesday.
“Enes Kanter said she was a ‘traitor,’ some people said it was a betrayal, skiing for China, ignoring Jimmy Lai and the Uyghurs, and pretending these things aren’t problems, is a huge problem. What do you think her status should be, should it be changed?” » asked MacCallum. (RELATED: Mainstream Media Forgets to Mention That an American-born Olympian Defected to Compete for China)
“I have no idea what his status should be, I think it’s ultimately up to the Olympic Committee, I won’t pretend to get into that,” Vance said.
“I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America and who has benefited from our education system, the freedoms that make this country a great place, I hope they want to compete with the United States of America. So, I’m going to be cheering for American athletes, I think part of that is people who identify as Americans. That’s why I support these Olympics.”
Vice President JD Vance on American-born Eileen Gu competing for Communist China: “I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America – who has benefited from our education system, the freedoms that make this country a great place – I would hope… pic.twitter.com/YXVUgHCrED
– RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) February 17, 2026
A rather measured response from Vance, but not incorrect. In the hands of a competent politician, restraint is a very effective strategy.
Gu reportedly raked in $23 million over the past year in activities other than skiing. according to Forbes. During this time, Gu won an additional $100,000 in prize money.
“[T]The vast majority of its revenue comes from sponsorships, including Chinese brands Anta, Bosideng, Mengniu Dairy and Luckin Coffee,” explains Forbes.
But Gu refuses the role of savvy businesswoman. Instead, she framed her decision to ski for China as a moral one.
“I am proud of my heritage, and equally proud of my American upbringing. The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mother was born, during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, is a unique opportunity to help promote the sport I love. Through skiing, I hope to unite people, promote common understanding, create communication and forge friendships between nations. If I can help one young girl break a boundary, my wishes will come true,” he said. Gu said. wrote in a 2019 Instagram post.
The amount of sympathy and respect the press gives Eileen Gu is insane.
This is no different than an American defecting to run for the Soviet Union. She is not a victim. https://t.co/rAZHARCpA0
– Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) February 11, 2026
Taking a moral high ground here is abhorrent. Gu’s willingness to discuss American politics is doubly abhorrent – she has expressed support for abortion and Black Lives Matter – but refusal to touch Chinese politics. (RELATED: Meet Eileen Gu, the Real Villain of the Winter Olympics)
Asked about China’s treatment of their Uighur population, Gu deviated.
“I’m not an expert on this,” she told Time Magazine’s Sean Gregory recently. “I haven’t done the research. I don’t think it’s any of my business. I’m not going to make big statements on my social media.”
Gregory sums up her response: “But as an international relations major at Stanford, surely she could do her homework on this question, right?
“I’m just more skeptical of data in general,” Gu said. “So it’s not like I can read an article and go, ‘Oh, well, that must be the truth.’ I need a ton of proof. Maybe I have to go out there, maybe talk to 10 primary source people who are in a place and have experienced life there. Then I have to go see some pictures. I need to listen to recordings. I have to think about how the story affects him. Then I have to read books about how politics affects him. It’s a lifelong search.
Oh, I see. Gu had to exercise similar caution in examining allegations of systemic racism among American police officers. She probably also looked at the autopsy of George Floyd. And I’m sure she visited Planned Parenthood clinics and spoke with protesters outside, then asked questions of the clinicians and women inside.
Gu is less skilled than she imagines. But in a way, her dual approach to politics makes her a perfect citizen of the world. When she’s in America, she’s a smug liberal from San Francisco. When she’s in China, she’s a patriotic girl from her homeland, content to ski and keep quiet about minorities.
That’s great and all for Gu. This is less good for the United States, which gains very little from its presence on its soil, as far as I know.
Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatSandovalDC
