President Donald Trump has criticized
out soccer star Megan Rapinoe for saying that she would not visit the
White House if the national team wins the World Cup.
Rapinoe was asked whether she was
excited to visit the White House if her team wins.
“I'm not going to the fucking White
House,” Rapinoe told an Eight by Eight reporter in January,
though video from the interview was only released this week. “No,
I'm not going to the White House. We're not gonna be invited. I doubt
it.”
“We haven't yet invited Megan or the
team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose,” Trump said in a
tweet. “Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House,
or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the
team. Be proud of the Flag that you wear.”
In an interview last month with Sports
Illustrated, Rapinoe said that she would “absolutely not”
visit the White House.
“I am not going to fake it, hobnob
with the president, who is clearly against so many of the things that
I am [for] and so many of the things that I actually am,” she
said. “I have no interest in extending our platform to him.”
Rapinoe has previously described
herself as a “walking protest” to the Trump administration's
policies.
The 33-year-old Rapinoe was among the
professional athletes who showed support for football player Colin
Kaepernick's social justice protests in 2016. Rapinoe knelt during
the national anthem before a game once a month in solidarity with
Kaepernick.