Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu, who was born and raised in San Francisco, has chosen to represent Team China instead of the USA at this year's Winter Olympics.
The decision behind this is to honor her mother's heritage, but it appears that this is not going down well with US Vice President JD Vance, who slammed the decision. The fact that she's won two silver medals this year and several medals from Beijing 2022 makes her one of the most sought-after and accomplished athletes to date at the Games.
{img}However, her decision has fueled some ongoing criticism and debate across the board.
JD Vance publicly made some comments, adding how he would hope that someone who was born and raised in the US and benefited from the country's education system would choose to compete for Team USA. He also shared how he's strongly rooting for American athletes.
{img}The remarks reignited major controversy around Gu's national affiliation and sparked fresh backlash against her among some commentators and online users.
Some critics went further, labeling her choice as disloyal and trailing political remarks with personal attacks.