Feb 20, 2026
3 min read
American-born skier Eileen Gu has responded to criticism of competing for Team China instead of the United States at the Olympics, saying people are targeting her because she wins and "they hate China."
American-Chinese skier Eileen Gu has responded to criticism from around the world she received during the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.
His decision to compete in China despite being born in the United States has made him a target for the United States and the rest of the world, with vice president JD Vance hinting that he hopes athletes born here "want to compete with Americans."
"I'm flattered. Thank you, yes! That's sweet," Gud said of Vance's comment, according to USA Today.
Gu asked after Thursday's race whether he felt like "a bit of a punching bag for certain factions of American politics."
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"I do," he said, according to USA Today."So many athletes are competing for another country... People have a problem with me doing that because they lump China into this monolithic entity, and they hate China." So it's not what they think.
And, because I win. Like, if I don't do well, I think they probably won't care, and that's fine with me. "People have a right to their opinions."
Gu previously said he was "physically attacked" for his decision to represent China.
"The police were called. I received death threats. My apartment was robbed," Gu told The Athletic.
Eileen Gu reacts to Trump's remarks while representing China
After winning silver in his first two competitions, Gu will compete in the freestyle skiing halfpipe on Thursday.
It will be the highlight of the Olympics defined by the huge global criticism of Gu.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Gu and Zhu Yi, fellow American-born skaters now competing for China, received a combined $6.6 million in compensation from the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025 for "attempting to achieve outstanding results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics."In total, the two reportedly received nearly $14 million over the past three years.
Vance addressed the controversy surrounding Gui in an interview Tuesday on Fox News' Martha MacCallum Story.
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"I really think anyone who grew up in the United States who has benefited from our education system in freedom and liberty that makes this country a great place, I hope they want to compete with the United States," Vance said on "Story with Martha MacCallum."
"So, I'm going to root for the American athletes. I think some of them are the ones who identify as Americans. They're the ones I'm rooting for in the Olympics."
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