US Vice President JD Vance (left) and Eileen Gu. Photo: screenshots of Fox News report on US local time February 17, 2026

Eileen Gu has added two more silver medals to her collection at the ongoing 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, cementing her status as the most decorated female freestyle skier in Olympic history. The superstar skier, competing for China, now boasts an impressive total of five Olympic medals across two Winter Games: two golds and three silvers.

Born in San Francisco, California, to an American father and a Chinese mother, Gu embraced her multicultural upbringing, according to official Olympic bio. However, her 2019 decision to compete for China has sparked controversy both at home and abroad. The debate gained fresh fodder from US Vice President JD Vance during a Fox News interview on Tuesday local time, where he insinuated that he "would hope" US-born athletes like Gu, who benefited from American education and freedoms, would choose to represent the US, when answering a question from host Martha MacCallum about Gu's status and if it should be changed.

Gu has not made public response to Vance' remarks as of press time, the Global Times found. 

"Foreign press now all call me Chinese athlete Gu Ailing," Gu said during an exclusive interview with the Xinhua News Agency published on February 9. She added that "I am representing China and I am representing Chinese skiing sports."  

Gu has previously told reporters in 2022 in a post-game interview during the Beijing Olympics that "I definitely feel as though I'm just as American as I am Chinese. I'm American when I'm in the US and Chinese when I'm in China and I've been outspoken about my gratitude to both the US and China for making me the person that I am," the Global Times has previously reported.

Vance's claims over the matter aroused heated discussion on social media platforms with some strongly disagreed with the vice president. 

X user @PixelNomad 374 commented with a rhetoric question under a relevant Forbes report that "Oh, sure, JD Vance, because nothing says 'American freedom' like forcing someone to compete for a country they didn't choose. Next up: Mandating apple pie for breakfast?" 

@HeKucool on X showed support for Gu, commenting that "Eileen is the literal definition of a 'global citizen' - she's Chinese in China and American in America. Come on, VP Vance, let's open up that perspective a bit! " 

Some suggested that the US vice president should keep athletes' choices free from politics. "A VP might have their preferences, but they shouldn't involve politics in the athletes' choices. If they don't want to delegate the decision, the best thing to do is not comment," @yehoshuabaracda commented on X. 

"National pride is a powerful theme in sports, and comments like this tap into the broader 'America First' message. At the same time, athletes often navigate complex personal, cultural, and professional ties when deciding which country to represent," @Alewx30561West wrote online. 

While Some argued that Vance did not really attack Gu over the issue, instead, Vance dodged the host's quite provocative and leading question, Many Chinese netizens on Weibo showed support to Gu's choice to represent China.

The US, often called the "melting pot" of the world, has the least right to criticize others on this issue, commented one Weibo user.

Some joked about the irony "before winning the medal, go back to China. And after winning the medal, a traitor." 

Global Times