American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn responded Tuesday to the backlash she received for criticizing Donald Trump’s administration.
Vonn previously stated that she wouldn’t visit President Trump or the White House because she doesn’t feel the current administration represents the country well.
She released the following statement Tuesday morning in response to the backlash:
As I head to France for the next races, I would like to share with you my reflections from the past few days.
I’ve received a tremendous amount of feedback, both positive and negative, about my recent CNN interview. The point that I was trying to articulate is that all Olympic athletes represent their nation as a whole, and are not representatives of their government or any specific political figure or party. None of us work tirelessly for years on end to compete in the Olympics on behalf of Democrats or Republicans. The Olympics are a non-political event, a chance for everyone to put aside their differences and be on the same “team.”. That does not mean that Olympic athletes don’t have political opinions. As an American, I am extremely proud that our great nation was founded on principals and ideals where citizens can express our opinions openly. It is a privilege that some others around the world don’t have.
I am proud to be an American, and I want our country to continue to be a symbol of hope, compassion, inclusion and world unity. My travels around the world have recently made clear that this is no longer how people view the United States. You cannot pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV in Europe without noticing how people are questioning our direction. It seems to me that we must lead with understanding and strive for unity in our relationships throughout the world.
As for myself, my recent comments opened up my eyes as to how divided we are right now. It is hurtful to read comments where people are hoping I break my neck or that God is punishing me for being “anti-Trump.” We need to find a way to put aside our differences and find common ground in communicating. Is it wrong to hope for a better world?
All of this is much bigger than skiing and the Olympics. I am going to take the next two months to focus on what I can do and right now that is competing for my country. In doing that, I will be hoping that we Americans can still be that “shining city on a hill.”
Obviously the comments about hoping Vonn breaks her neck or suffers a serious injury cross the line and are awful. You shouldn’t ever wish harm upon somebody simply because they disagree with your viewpoint.
She also shouldn’t be overly surprised that people weren’t overly pleased with her anti-Trump sentiments. Don’t be shocked if people don’t react well to trashing the president. That goes for all presidents, not just President Trump.
Vonn will head to South Korea in February to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics, where she is expected to do very well in skiing competitions.
