Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published on Wednesday, 18 February 2026 20:27 / Updated on Thursday, 19 February 2026 04:05
James David Vance, the vice president of the United States of America during the term of Donald Trump, commented on the situation of the athlete Eileen Gu, the most decorated freestyle ski athlete in the history of the Olympic Games. Gu was born in the USA, lived there, but represents China at the competitive level, his mother's country of origin.
With the two medals obtained at Milano Cortina plus the three she already had in her record, Eileen Gu wrote history at the current edition of the Olympic Games. JD Vance addressed the situation of the San Francisco-born athlete, believing that Gu should represent the United States of America. JD Vance, who was booed at the opening ceremony, was part of the American delegation to the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
JD Vance on Eileen Gu: 'I would hope she wants to compete for the United States of America'
“Certainly, somebody who grew up in the United States of America, who had the benefit of our education system, the freedoms that make this country a great place, I would hope would want to compete for the United States of America. So I'm going to support American athletes, and I think part of that is people who identify as American. They're the ones I support in these Olympics. I have no idea what her status should be. I think ultimately the decision is up to the committee.” Olympic,” JD Vance said, according to The Athletic.
Gu is fluent in both English and Mandarin. He was born in 2003, and his mother is from China, while his father is an American citizen. According to the quoted source, China does not allow dual citizenship, and Gu has never spoken about his citizenship status. She has avoided the topic multiple times, once even at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
I certainly feel that I am as American as I am Chinese. I'm American when I'm in the US and I'm Chinese when I'm in China. I have spoken openly about my gratitude to both the US and China for shaping me into the person I am today. I don't feel like I'm taking advantage of one or the other because both have been incredibly supportive and continue to be, because I understand that my mission is to use sport as a force for unity. To use it as a way to promote interconnectedness between countries, not as a force for division
– Eileen Gu
