STICKING TO HER GUNS

Megan Rapinoe Urges Team Not to Let White House ‘Co-Opt’ Their Platform

“I stand by the comments that I made about not wanting to go to the White House—with the exception of the expletive,” she said.

U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe has doubled down on her declaration that she would not go “to the fucking White House,” calling on Thursday for her teammates to back her up—which they did. “I stand by the comments that I made about not wanting to go to the White House—with the exception of the expletive. My mom would be very upset about that,” Rapinoe said on Thursday, according to CNN. Rapinoe said she didn't think she “would want to go” due to the team’s effort to leave the “world in a better place[.]” “I would encourage my teammates to think hard about lending that platform or having that co-opted by an administration that doesn't feel the same way and doesn't fight for the same things that we fight for,” she said. U.S. head coach Jill Ellis reportedly supported Rapinoe’s remarks, stating that the whole team supported her decision. Defender Ali Krieger announced Wednesday she would not go to the White House after Trump criticized Rapinoe on Twitter, and Alex Morgan also told Time Magazine in May that she would not make the White House visit.