Adam Rippon Skipped Team U.S.A.'s Visit To The Trump White House Today: "I Will Not Stand With People Who Discriminate"
The 2018 U.S. Winter Olympic team visited the White House today. Not in attendance: Out figure skater Adam Rippon
In keeping with tradition, President Trump hosted a celebratory event to honor Team USA, but Rippon and several of his teammates declined their invitations including free-skier Gus Kenworthy, Mikaela Shiffrin, ski racer Lindsey Vonn, and snowboarders Chloe Kim and Shaun White.
Some Olympians cited scheduling conflicts—Kim told The Washington Post she had a wedding to go to—but Rippon and Kensworthy made it clear it was Trump's policies that kept them away.
"Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today," wrote Rippon on Twitter. "I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different."
Kenworthy added that the USOC spokesperson said "he's never seen so many athletes turn down their invites."
In lieu of the visit, Rippon said he would spend his time making donations to Planned Parenthood, GLAAD, and the Red Cross—and encouraged his Twitter followers to do the same. "If you want to join me and you’re able to give a little, go for it. I think when we’re able to help each other out and do what we can to lift each other up, that’s when we’re truly making America great."
Trump did not comment on the protesting athletes in his remarks, choosing instead to praise some of those in attendance, including figure skater Vincent Zhou, the gold medal-winning women’s hockey team, and the men’s curling team, which also took home gold at PyeongChang. In all, about 200 U.S. Olympians and Paralympians made the trip.
In January, Rippon said he thought he'd be unwelcome at the White House because he is gay. "I won’t go to the White House," he told the BBC. "I don’t think somebody like me would be welcome there. I know what it’s like to go into a room and feel like you’re not wanted there."
Vonn spoke out against the president last winter when she announced she'd be declining, too. "I want to represent our country well," she told CNN. "I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that."
