Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu has responded to Vice President JD Vance's criticism of her decision to compete for China instead of the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The American-born athlete, who grew up in San Francisco, told USA Today she was "flattered" by Vance's comments during a Fox News interview.

The 22-year-old two-time Olympian has won two silver medals in 2026, adding to her collection of two golds and one silver from the 2022 Beijing Games. Gu's citizenship choice has been controversial since she began competing for China in 2022, though she maintains her decision helps grow the sport in China while the U.S. "already has the representation."

Gu revealed she has faced serious backlash, including being "physically attacked" on Stanford University's campus. She argued that criticism stems from anti-China sentiment rather than legitimate concerns about national representation. The International Olympic Committee requires athletes to represent countries where they hold citizenship, allowing competitors with multiple nationalities to choose their nation of representation.