JD Vance reacts to Eileen Gu competing for China: 'I’m going to root for American athletes'

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding freestyle skier Eileen Gu and her decision to represent China instead of the United States at the Winter Olympics.

During a Fox News interview that aired in February 2026, Vance made it clear that his personal support remains firmly with American athletes, while avoiding taking a firm stance on Gu’s eligibility.

JD Vance backs Team USA amid Eileen Gu debate

Speaking on 'The Story With Martha McCallum', JD Vance acknowledged the controversy but stopped short of directly criticizing Eileen Gu’s choice.

“I have no idea what her status should be. I think that's ultimately up to the Olympics Committee. I won't pretend to wade into that,” Vance said.

Still, the vice president made his broader view clear. He said he believes athletes who grow up in the United States should feel inclined to represent the country on the global stage. “I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America,” he continued.

Vance concluded, saying: “So, I'm going to root for American athletes. I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That's who I'm rooting for in this Olympics.”

Eileen Gu China switch fuels Olympic backlash

Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for China has drawn criticism from some American observers for years. The California-raised skier first made the switch in 2019, calling it an “incredibly tough” decision at the time. She previously represented China at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games and has maintained that her choice is deeply personal. 

Gu grew up in California and attended Stanford University, and her mother is a first-generation Chinese immigrant to the United States. Despite her success, the decision has remained politically sensitive, particularly amid broader geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Gu and fellow American-born skater Zhu Yi were paid a combined $6.6 million by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025 for “striving for excellent results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.” According to the report, the pair have earned nearly $14 million over the past three years.

Eileen Gu wins silver, faces scrutiny

At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Gu has already secured two silver medals in freestyle skiing, one in slopestyle and another in big air.

She has one more opportunity to add to her medal count, with the halfpipe event scheduled for February 21. Off the slopes, however, scrutiny has continued to follow her career. Gu has never publicly spoken against China’s alleged human rights abuses, including claims of repression of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, or the jailing of media figure Jimmy Lai.

Even so, Gu remains one of the most commercially successful winter athletes in the world. She was the highest-paid Winter Olympian in 2025, earning an estimated $23 million through partnerships with both Chinese and Western companies, including the Bank of China.