Erin Gu jokingly dismissed J.D. Vance’s criticism of her at the Winter Olympics on Thursday.
Responding to outrage over the American-born freestyle skiing star representing China in his second straight Olympics, the vice president recently said, “I certainly think that those who grew up in the United States of America, benefited from our education system, benefited from the freedoms and freedoms that make this country a great place, I hope they want to compete against the United States of America.”
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“I’m very flattered,” Gu said when asked about the comment (per USA Today ). “Thanks, JD! That’s great.”
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Gu Ailin (right) responded to J.D. Vance’s negative remarks about her competing on behalf of China. Getty
Gu, an international celebrity and model who won two silver medals at the Cortina Games in Milan in 2022 after winning two gold medals and one silver at the Beijing Olympics, has been a lightning rod for judgment from her conservative opponents.
Former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom said on Fox News this week that Google was a “traitor” for siding with “authoritarian regimes” after host Laura Ingraham painted the company as an ungrateful person allied with the Communist Party.
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Gu’s supporters say she has been subject to racism and Sinophobia, while other U.S.-born athletes competing under different flags are far less controversial.
“So many athletes compete for different countries,” Gu, whose mother is from China, said, according to USA Today. “People just have a problem with me doing this because they lump China into one and they just hate China. So it has nothing to do with what they think.
“And, because I won. Like if I didn’t do well, I think they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s okay with me. People are entitled to their opinions.”
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Gu advanced through the halfpipe qualifying round on Thursday and will participate in Saturday’s finals.
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