2019 FIFA Women's World Cup: What to know
What to know about the highly-anticipated 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. Who's expected to win, where to watch, and which teams are the underdogs?
Soccer star Megan Rapinoe has become the latest player on the U.S. women’s team who preemptively opted out of visiting the White House should the team win the upcoming World Cup in France.
Rapinoe said in an interview with Sports Illustrated published Wednesday she would “absolutely not” visit President Trump and the White House if the invitation was given. Rapinoe said she planned on visiting other government leaders in Washington instead.
US SOCCER STAR ALEX MORGAN PLANS TO DECLINE ANY WHITE HOUSE INVITE AFTER WORLD CUP
Megan Rapinoe, a member of the United States women's national soccer team, speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, Friday, May 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
“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’s comments echoed the ones made by teammate Alex Morgan who told Time Magazine she didn't stand for what the current administration stands for.
“I don’t stand for a lot of things the current office stands for,” she said, adding that she doesn’t care for the administration’s policies about separating migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border.”
It wasn’t clear whether Trump had any plans to invite the team, if they win.
Rapinoe has been one of the biggest political activists in sports since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to take a knee during the national anthem nearly three years ago.
US SOCCER STAR MEGAN RAPINOE SAYS SHE WILL 'PROBABLY NEVER SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AGAIN'
United States' Megan Rapinoe, right, kneels next to teammates Ali Krieger (11) and Crystal Dunn (16) as the U.S. national anthem is played before an exhibition soccer match against Netherlands in Atlanta. (AP Photo)
Rapinoe followed in the quarterback’s footsteps during a National Women’s Soccer League game, which sparked a firestorm of controversy. She recently told Yahoo Sports she will “probably never sing the national anthem again.”
While she will still represent the U.S. in their effort to win another World Cup, Rapinoe called herself a “walking protest” and believes the Trump administration doesn’t “value all American equally.”
“I feel like it's kind of defiance in and of itself to just be who I am and wear the jersey, and represent it,” Rapinoe told the website. “Because I'm as talented as I am, I get to be here, you don't get to tell me if I can be here or not. So it's kind of a good ‘F you' to any sort of inequality or bad sentiments that the administration might have towards people who don't look exactly like him. Which, God help us if we all looked like him. Scary. Really scary. Ahh, disturbing.”
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Rapinoe will lead the U.S. in its first group-stage match against Thailand on June 11. The U.S. will then play Chile on June 16 and Sweden on June 20.