In a tweet initially directed at the wrong person, President Donald Trump slammed U.S. national women’s soccer team captain Megan Rapinoe’s recent assertion that she is ‘not going to the f***ing White House’ if the team wins the ongoing World Cup in France.
‘Women’s soccer player, @meganrapino, just stated that she is “not going to the F…ing White House if we win,”‘ Trump wrote, inadvertently tweeting at a person named Megan Rapino, whose profile picture happens to be a shot of a different female soccer player.
Rapino, in solidarity with Rapinoe, responded directly to Trump: ‘and she was right to say so cry me a river plus this isn’t even her acc.’
Although Trump’s initial tweet was deleted, he did continue along that thread, taking credit for improving the economy voicing his support for the U.S. team. He even wrote that he would invite U.S women’s national team to the White House, win or lose, but that Rapinoe ‘should WIN first before she TALKS!’
In a tweet initially directed at the wrong Megan Rapinoe, President Donald Trump responded to the U.S. national women’s soccer team captain’s recent assertion that she is ‘not going to the f***ing White House’ if the team wins the ongoing World Cup in France
Rapinoe has maintained she would not visit the Trump White House, most recently in an interview with Eight by Eight magazine. ‘I’m not going to the f*****g White House,’ said Rapinoe, who was recently criticized by Trump for her refusal to sing the national anthem with her teammates before games. Rapinoe, who is a lesbian, is one of the most outspoken athletes representing America and has described herself as a ‘walking protest’ to Trump’s policies. She was the first national team member of any sport to kneel in support of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick – a frequent target of Trumps since he began protesting inequality by kneeling during the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ until he fell out of the league in March of 2017
Rapino, in solidarity with Rapinoe, responded directly to Trump
‘Other than the NBA, which now refuses to call owners, owners (please explain that I just got Criminal Justice Reform passed, Black unemployment is at the lowest level…,’ read the remainder of Trump’s initial, since-deleted tweet.
‘….in our Country’s history, and the poverty index is also best number EVER), leagues and teams love coming to the White House,’ he continued. ‘I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women’s Soccer, but Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job! We haven’t yet….
‘….invited Megan or the team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose. 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. The USA is doing GREAT!’
Winners of three World Cups, the United States is favored to win again this year. The team faces the host country, France, on Friday in the quarterfinals. Rapinoe has scored three times in three games during the tournament, including two crucial penalties in Monday’s win over Spain.
Since the start of the Women’s World Cup in France, Rapinoe (seen left during the singing of the national anthem before Team USA’s match against Spain at Stade Auguste Delaune on Monday in Reims, France) has declined to sign the anthem or place her hand on her heart
Rapinoe has maintained she would not visit the Trump White House, most recently in an interview with Eight by Eight magazine.
‘I’m not going to the f*****g White House,’ said Rapinoe, who was recently criticized by Trump for her refusal to sing the national anthem with her teammates before games.
‘No. I’m not going to the White House. We’re not gonna be invited.’
Rapinoe’s comments were made just a day after the president said her refusal to sing the national anthem or place her hand on her heart during its playing before matches was inappropriate.
Rapinoe, who is a lesbian, is one of the most outspoken athletes representing America and has described herself as a ‘walking protest’ to Trump’s policies.
She was the first national team member of any sport to kneel in support of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick – a frequent target of Trumps since he began protesting inequality by kneeling during the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ until he fell out of the league in March of 2017.
Although Trump’s initial tweet was deleted, he did continue along that thread, taking credit for improving the economy voicing his support for the U.S. team. He even wrote that he would invite U.S women’s national team to the White House, win or lose, but that Rapinoe ‘should WIN first before she TALKS!’
Megan Rapinoe (second from left) kneels during the playing of the anthem before a match against Thailand in 2016 at MAPFRE Stadium in Ohio. In response, the United States Soccer Federation created a rule requiring players to stand ‘respectfully’ during the anthem
After Rapinoe started kneeling during the anthem, the United States Soccer Federation adopted a policy that requires players to stand during the anthem.
Now she stands, but she has been criticized for not singing and putting her hand over her heart like other players.
Since the Women’s World Cup began earlier this month in France, Rapinoe stuck to her resolve not to sing the national anthem.
Her decision ignited criticism of her on social media.
Rapinoe told Yahoo Sports last month that she would ‘probably never sing or honor the national anthem again’.
‘I’ll probably never put my hand over my heart. I’ll probably never sing the national anthem again,’ she said in an interview published on May 13.
‘It’s kind of a good ‘F you’ to any sort of inequality or bad sentiments that the [Trump] administration might have towards people who don’t look exactly like him,’ the LGBT activist said in an interview published on May 13.
Rapinoe also preemptively declined the customary invite to the White House from Trump if the US Women’s Soccer Team wins the World Cup.
‘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,’ the soccer star told Sports Illustrated in May.
‘I have no interest in extending our platform to him.’
The Redding, California native and American poster girl recently became the first openly-gay woman to pose for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
In 2016, Rapinoe became the first white athlete to take a knee during a pre-game national anthem performance in solidarity with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick (seen center alongside Eli Harold, left, and Eric Reid, right, during a game in Santa Clara, California in 2016)
In 2016, she became the first white athlete to take a knee during a pre-game national anthem performance in solidarity with former Kaepernick, who used the gesture as a means of silent protest against racism and police brutality after a string of high-profile fatal shootings of black Americans by law enforcement officers.
Trump told The Hill in an interview Monday that he disagrees with Rapinoe’s actions, but loves watching women’s soccer and thinks the players are very talented.
Since Trump became president in January 2017, a number of sports teams in both the professional and collegiate ranks who have won championships have either declined invitations to the White House, were not invited, or cited ‘scheduling conflicts’ as the reason they couldn’t attend.
The NBA’s Golden State Warriors, the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, the University of Notre Dame’s women’s college basketball team, Villanova University’s men’s basketball team, the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, and NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson did not make the traditional celebratory trip to the White House.
Other teams, like Clemson’s national championship football squad, the University of Alabama’s football team, the Washington Capitals, the New England Patriots, the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Houston Astros did visit the White House, though not without controversy.
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (center) skipped the customary White House visit last year, citing his support for LGBTQ rights
In the case of the Red Sox, manager Alex Cora did not attend the visit because of his objections to the way the Trump White House managed hurricane relief efforts in his native Puerto Rico.
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby also skipped the customary White House visit, citing his support for LGBTQ rights.
Since coming into office, the Trump administration has rolled back protections for LGBTQ Americans.
In July 2017, Trump announced that transgender Americans would be barred from serving in the military.
The administration also claims that employers are permitted to discriminate against employees of a different sexual orientation or gender identity.
Trump’s administration reversed the approach taken under Democratic former President Barack Obama by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal laws banning workplace discrimination.