Sports
Why 9 USA Olympians Snubbed Donald Trump White House Visit in 2018
Team USA have enjoyed an excellent Winter Olympics thus far. Currently, athletes representing the Stars and Stripes have racked up an impressive 19 medals, a total bettered by only two teams.
However, the Games for a few US athletes has been marred by the ongoing saga with the nation’s government. After Hunter Hess, Chris Lillis and others spoke out against the regime due to political unrest at home, president Donald Trump aimed his ire at the dissenting Olympians. Labelling Hess a ‘loser’, vice-president JD Vance has since issued a warning to Olympians, telling them to focus on sport and not speak about politics.
He said: “You’re there to play a sport, and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics.
“My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together, and when you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans.”
JD Vance Issues Warning to Team USA Athletes at Winter Olympics After Being Booed
The US vice president issues a clear warning to Olympians representing the United States in Milan and Cortina.
However, tension between specific athletes and Trump also occurred during his first presidency between 2017 and 2021. Several high-profile stars decided not to visit the White House and meet the leader of the country following the PyeongChang Games. Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest names to snub Trump and the reasoning behind their decision.
Nine Olympians Who Snubbed Trump in 2018
Adam Rippon
Adam Rippon was the first openly gay American athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics. Winning a bronze medallist at PyeongChang in 2018, the figure skater snubbed then vice president Mike Pence due to his outlook on gay marriage and confirmed after the Games that he would not be going to the White House because of his opposition to Trump.
He wrote on social media in 2018: “Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today. I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different.”
Lindsey Vonn
A skiing legend for the United States, Vonn previously told CNN in 2017 that she would not go to the White House following the 2018 Winter Olympics. Answering “absolutely not” when the question was put to her, she went on to say: “Well I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president.
“I want to represent our country well. I don’t think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.”
Prior to suffering a severe crash at the Milano Cortina games which left her with a complex fractured tibia, Vonn declined to answer whether she would accept her invitation this time. She told Fox News: “I’m not going to answer that question, because I’m just not going to answer it. I want to keep my passport.”
Chloe Kim
Chloe Kim won a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics, but told the Washington Post that she could not make it to the White House due to the date conflicting with a wedding she was attending. However, Kim had spoken out about causes against Trump prior to the invitation, most notably sharing support for March for Our Lives, a rally concerning gun control. More recently, she has called for unity following Trump’s comments about Hess prior to the Games.
Gus Kenworthy
Prior to 2018, Gus Kenworthy had won a silver medal in the ski slopestyle event at Sochi 2014. An openly gay athlete, he also declined Trump’s invitation, telling CBS in January 2018: “When we have people elected into office that believe in conversion therapy and are trying to strip trans rights in the military and do these things that are directly attacking the LGBT community, I have no patience.”
Kenworthy has since switched allegiances to Great Britain, who he is representing at the Milano Cortina Games. That has not stopped him from weighing on political matters in the US, though, as evidenced by his anti-ICE message prior to this year’s Olympics.
Erin Hamlin
Erin Hamlin earned a bronze in luge at Sochi 2014, but just missed out on a medal four years later, finishing fourth in her fourth and final Olympic Games. According to USA Today, the nation’s flag bearer at PyeongChang was unable to make the White House visit as she had already planned to visit the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center on the same day.
Barack Obama Sends New Message to US Winter Olympians Amid Their Feud With Donald Trump
Barack Obama has delivered a new message to Team USA Winter Olympians amid their ongoing feud with Donald Trump.
Mikaela Shiffrin
Considered one of the best female alpine skiiers of all-time, Mikaela Shiffrin won two Olympic gold medals in her career, including one in the giant slalom event in 2018. Although she did not reveal why she declined to visit the White House after the Games, she did previously tell CNN in 2016 that she did not agree with Trump’s values.
“The value that [Trump] portrays to everyone is not ideal… I don’t think women are going to be looking to him. I think they still look to Hillary [Clinton].”
Shaun White
Shaun White still holds the record for most gold medals won at the Olympic Games in snowboarding, which he claimed at Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010 and PyeongChang 2018. Speaking to the Washington Post about why he didn’t attend the White House after his most recent gold, he explained that he was attending a wedding.
Mirai Nagasu
Mirai Nagasu made history at PyeongChang 2018 when she became the first American woman to land a triple axel in figure skating. Her reason for missing the trip to the White House, though, came down to scheduling conflicts, as the bronze medallist told the Washington Post that she was rehearsing for Dancing With the Stars.
Nathan Chen
American figure skater Nathan Chen won bronze in the mixed team figure skating in 2018, but made history four years later in Beijing when he became the first and only competitor to win a team and singles gold medal at the same Games. Nicknamed the ‘Quad King’, USA Today reported in September prior to the Games that Chen would snub an invitation to the White House, with ABC10 News San Diego adding that the decision was made based on conflicting personal beliefs.
Reigning world champions Argentina could face punishment for breaking FIFA rules immediately after their 2-1 win over England on Wednesday night. Lionel Messi and co. are through to their second successive World Cup final, but once again left it late to progress in Atlanta, Georgia.
Messi sprang into life with just seven minutes remaining. His first assist set up Enzo Fernandez’s long-range equaliser, cancelling out Anthony Gordon’s opener, before his second found the head of substitute Lautaro Martinez, who made no mistake in sealing a dramatic win over their age-old rivals.
England fans have quickly blamed Thomas Tuchel’s decision to go ultra-defensive for the Three Lions’ continued failure to end their 60-year wait to bring football home. Meanwhile, any murmurs of corruption and scandal surrounding Argentina are likely to persist, as the players appeared to break a FIFA rule during their full-time celebrations.
Argentina Players Break FIFA Rule After Dramatic England Win
During their post-match celebrations, the South Americans were found to have flouted the rules of the world football governing body. FIFA have a clear stance that prohibits any political flags, slogans and symbols from being displayed inside stadiums.
Yet, Argentina could now face punishment for their actions, according to the Express, after a banner read ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ which references the 1982 Falklands War and translates to ‘The Malvinas (Falklands) are Argentine.’ The incident (as seen below) is expected to be reported to FIFA.
La Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni had tried to ease pre-match tensions when he declared it “wrong” to make the match about the conflict. Tensions remain around the Falklands, and Argentina still disputes the sovereignty of the British overseas territory.
Despite those calls to limit its political undertones, players and fans have regularly chanted about the matter throughout the knockout stages, while Argentina’s vice president caused a huge stir with her social media post ahead of the semi-final clash.
FIFA Have Already Shown Leniency With Argentina Over Falklands Tension
On each occasion, Argentina have been brought up for political messages that could quite easily stir tension between themselves and England, FIFA’s bosses have refused to step in and follow their own rules. So whether Scaloni’s side will be punished for another rule break remains to be seen.
The blind-eye approach – despite having taken flags away from Iran and England earlier in the tournament for a wide range of reasons – is not a good look for Gianni Infantino, given a petition signed by more than 10 million people is already accusing him of favouritism towards the champions.
Allegations continue to be made against him and his run-ins with Argentina. Their quarter-final opponents – Egypt – were certain football’s top dogs wanted Messi in the final for marketing reasons, and if that really is the case, then Spain will be hoping they can overcome that so-called corruption this coming Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
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England’s 60-year wait for a trophy continues after their dramatic 2-1 loss to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, thanks to a sublime Enzo Fernandez goal and a Lautaro Martinez header.
England started the game well and took the lead through Anthony Gordon, but they weren’t able to fend off the reigning world champions, which means Argentina will now face Spain in the final.
The final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday evening between Argentina and Spain will break a longstanding 44-year World Cup final record.
2026 World Cup Final Breaks 44-Year History
For the past 44 years, every World Cup final has had a unique stat, one that has failed to be broken. It isn’t a stat that necessarily affects the game itself, but it is still unique and something that a specific club can boast about.
The record in question is that every World Cup final for the past 44 years has always featured a Bayern Munich player. Without fail, for the past 44 years, the German powerhouse has always had a player to cheer on at least one of the teams in the final.
However, since England have been eliminated from the tournament following their loss to Argentina, it means the last Bayern player still in the tournament, Harry Kane, has been sent home, meaning that the 2026 World Cup final won’t feature a single Bayern player.
Whilst the stat won’t have an effect on the final between Argentina and Spain, it does bring an end to one of the unique stats in football, although the final still does have the chance to break another record that has stood for a much longer time.
Lionel Messi Could Break 64-Year Record
Whilst the 44-year Bayern Munich record may have been broken, Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates have the chance to break a 64-year record that is arguably even more impressive than any other record.
After their 2022 tournament win, Argentina could be the first team in 64 years, since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, to win the World Cup back-to-back. It would leave an outstanding mark on Messi’s legacy if he could break one final record in what could be his final ever World Cup.
It will be no easy task, however, with Spain winning the European Championships just two years ago, and having been one of the best sides in the tournament, as they put in a very strong performance against France in the semi-final, as they won 2-0.
The World Cup final on Sunday evening will be a top showdown between two of the best teams in football, and this longstanding record could give Messi that one extra push of motivation he needs to get his team across the finish line as he closes the final chapter of his career.
However, following Harry Kane’s exit from the tournament, it means a 44-year record has been broken, and one of the last unique ongoing stats in football has finished.
England supporters have piled the blame on one man following their heartbreaking World Cup semi-final loss vs Argentina on Wednesday night. The Three Lions got the taste of their own medicine in Atlanta as, despite taking the lead through Anthony Gordon, they fell to a late 2-1 loss after Lionel Messi assisted both Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.
It now means the nation will have to wait longer than 60 years before ending a well-documented international trophy drought, with their first and last appearance at a World Cup final coming in 1966, when they went all the way and won it under Sir Alf Ramsay. They are also still yet to beat a nation that ranks in the top four of FIFA’s Mens Rankings at a major tournament.
There will be a lot of fallout over the coming days, weeks, months, and possibly years depending on how well England bounce back. Some will hail the determination shown up until the semi-final, while others will suggest the players simply aren’t the quality hopefuls make them out to be. But the vast majority are in agreement over whose to blame for the late collapse.
England Fans Pin Most of the Blame on Same Man After World Cup Exit
Thomas Tuchel was appointed by the English FA at the back end of the Euro 2024 final loss because of his track record of getting things right at the crucial times of major tournaments.
However, while the general consensus was that the German head coach had got things right up until this week’s clash, nobody can help but feel his decision to sit back and defend England’s slender lead ultimately cost them a place in the final. As Wayne Rooney put it during a segment with the BBC: “I think the decisions Thomas Tuchel made – and we have to be honest on this – have cost us tonight,” as an X user also remarked:
“Thomas Tuchel went for the same strategy as vs Mexico without, it seems, appreciating Argentina have the attacking ability to unpick a low block over 30 minutes. That is a pitiful way to exit the World Cup at this stage.”
Another wrote: “We have praised Thomas Tuchel throughout this World Cup, but today he got it wrong,” while others weren’t as forgiving, as the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss was also labelled an ‘Absolute bottlejob’ and ‘washed beyond belief.”
Meanwhile, someone else poetically concluded: “Thomas Tuchel’s ridicule will be studied in history books as one of the greatest acts of cowardice in sports. With the score at 0-1, he sent England to hunker down in their own half and handed the match to Argentina on a silver platter. The defeat is entirely his.”
Ultimately, while there will be positives and negatives to take away from yet more tournament heartbreak, the reality is that England may not be as good as everyone makes out. If that wasn’t made abundantly clear during the Golden Generation at the start of the 2000s, then constant near-misses under Gareth Southgate and Tuchel should be a gentle reminder.
That’s not to say the country’s population shouldn’t be grateful for the summers they’ve been given recently, especially considering hope had run completely dry in periods before and after the mid-2000s. But if they’re really serious about winning silverware, then the mission still looks a long way from finishing.
More to follow…
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