Account
Megan Rapinoe on White House Visit If USWNT Wins World Cup: 'Absolutely Not'
May 29, 2019
United States women's national team star Megan Rapinoe has already ruled out a visit to the White House in the event the USWNT wins the 2019 Women's World Cup.
Rapinoe responded, "Absolutely not," when asked by Sports Illustrated's Jenny Vrentas about a potential celebratory trip to see President Donald Trump.
"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 is the second notable USWNT star to preemptively decline an invitation from the White House were one to come. Alex Morgan told Time's Sean Gregory she had no intention of going to the nation's capital, citing her issues with the Trump administration's family-separation policy at the border between the United States and Mexico.
The USWNT won the Women's World Cup for a third time in 2015. In October 2015, they were guests of President Barack Obama at the White House, continuing the tradition of sports champions celebrating their achievements with the president.
However, the tradition has become far less frequent since Trump took office. Most recently the Virginia Cavaliers turned down the opportunity after winning the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The Baylor Lady Bears did commemorate their third national championship with President Trump, though.
