File Photo: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump appears alongside U.S. Senator Marco Rubio at a campaign rally held at the J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, on November 4, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
[People News] The 2026 Milan Winter Olympics are currently underway, and Gu Ailing, a Chinese-American athlete who holds U.S. citizenship but competes for Beijing, has unexpectedly faced criticism from U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Off the field, the political storm surrounding Gu Ailing—centred on issues of identity, loyalty, and money—is growing more intense. Her situation has become particularly awkward, to the extent that it can be described as being 'not accepted by either side.'
On February 17, during an interview on Fox News' "The Story With Martha McCallum," Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that he "did not know what Gu Ailing's eligibility 'should' be," but expressed his hope that American citizens would choose to represent the United States on the global stage. Vance openly stated that he supports athletes who "identify as Americans" in these Olympic Games.
While Vance's comments may be seen as diplomatic, they still reflect scepticism about Gu Ailing's choice to represent Beijing rather than the United States.
Gu Ailing, born in the United States and raised in California, graduated from Stanford University. Her mother is a first-generation Chinese immigrant. From the outset of her freestyle skiing career, she achieved remarkable commercial success. She represented the United States in international competitions, winning a gold medal at the 2019 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup. However, in June of that same year, Gu Ailing made the surprising announcement that she would compete for China. In 2022, she represented China at the Beijing Winter Olympics, where she won two gold medals and one silver. Now, at the age of 22, she will once again compete for China at the Milan Winter Olympics.
Earlier, Gu Ailing made headlines by publicly criticising U.S. President Trump as a Chinese athlete during the Winter Olympics, which led to fierce backlash against her from Americans.
Former U.S. basketball player Friedm labelled Gu Ailing a 'traitor.' He noted that she has never publicly condemned Beijing on sensitive topics such as Uyghur human rights and Hong Kong democracy, opting for silence in exchange for endorsement deals. Friedman even expressed his outrage, claiming that Gu Ailing has forfeited her moral authority as a U.S. citizen and should have her citizenship revoked.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has publicly insisted that Gu Ailing 'must choose a side.' However, the most unexpected challenge for Gu Ailing may come from the 'other side' she has chosen to represent.
At the Milan Winter Olympics, Gu Ailing's performance has not been as impressive as it was during the previous Beijing Games. To date, she has secured two silver medals in the slope style and big air events. While CCTV commentator Sun Sicheng noted that the 'value' of Gu Ailing's silver medals is just as significant as that of gold medals, this reasoning has not been accepted by the 'little pinks' who once celebrated her as the 'national light'.
Some netizens sarcastically commented, 'If that's the case, does exchanging silver bars for gold bars also make sense?' Their logic is straightforward: the country has invested heavily in her training, and 'bringing glory to the country' means winning gold medals; winning silver is seen as 'losing'. Other netizens have openly criticised, stating, 'It's nice to indulge oneself with taxpayers' money.'
When it comes to finances, this is another crucial point that has incited outrage. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Beijing Sports Bureau has spent an astonishing amount over the past three years to ensure that Gu Ailing and another athlete, Zhu Yi, perform well at the Milan Winter Olympics. In 2025 alone, the budget from the Beijing Sports Bureau indicates that approximately 48 million yuan was allocated for them, while Gu Ailing received over 47 million yuan in training expenses in 2023. Estimates suggest that the Chinese Communist Party may have invested more than 100 million yuan in recruiting Gu Ailing over the past three years.
In light of the stark contrast between the massive public funding and the 'mere silver medals', Gu Ailing's nationality issue, which has often been obscured, has once again come under scrutiny. Chinese law prohibits dual nationality, yet there is no evidence that Gu Ailing has renounced her American citizenship while competing for China.
Gu Ailing has repeatedly expressed, 'When I am in the United States, I am an American; when I am in China, I am a Chinese.' This behaviour, which the media has characterised as 'playing both sides,' has placed her in an unprecedented predicament.
This Saturday, Gu Ailing will compete in her final event—the U-shaped venue skills competition. If she manages to secure this gold medal, it could perhaps mend the shattered hearts of her little pink fans?
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