U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he is uncertain about the status of U.S.-born freestyle skier Eileen Gu, who competes for China at the Winter Olympics, adding that he is rooting for athletes who identify as American.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks in Washington, D.C. in November 2025. Photo by AFP |
“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 on Feb. 17 when asked about Gu during an interview with Fox News.
“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.”
He added that he has “no idea” what Gu’s status, saying the matter ultimately rests with the Olympic Committee.
Gu, 22, was born in California and studied at Stanford University.
She represented the United States at the junior level before deciding in 2019 to compete for China, her mother’s homeland. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, she won gold medals in big air and halfpipe, along with a silver in slopestyle.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, she has so far claimed silver medals in slopestyle and big air and is set to defend her halfpipe title.
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Silver medalist Eileen Gu celebrates after the women’s freestyle skiing big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. Photo by AP |
Gu ranks fourth among the world’s highest-paid female athletes. Sporty estimates that she earned about $23 million over the past year, almost all from endorsement deals. That places her behind three leading tennis players: Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
Her value to China extends beyond medals. She embodies a global young generation, fluent in English and Mandarin, and active in both markets. Each time she competes, Gu often ranks among the top trending topics on China’s Weibo platform. U.S. media outlets also continue to cover her extensively, even though she no longer represents the country.
Gu’s nationality has drawn scrutiny. China does not allow dual citizenship, yet she has never publicly clarified her legal status.
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