The United States Women’s National Team has underperformed so far at the Olympics and former President Donald Trump has had his say on the matter.
The US lost 3-0 to Sweden in their opening game of the tournament, ending a 44 match unbeaten streak. Before the game, the majority of players took the knee to stand against racial injustice after the International Olympics Committee relaxed rule 50, which previously stopped athletes from making demonstrations.
But speaking at a rally on Saturday, Trump blamed this “wokeism” for the team’s defeat.
"Woke politics takes the life and joy out of everything,” he stressed.
"Wokeism makes you lose, ruins your mind and ruins you as a person. You become warped. You become demented.
"The US women's soccer team is a very good example of what's going on. Earlier this week, they unexpectedly lost to Sweden, three to nothing.
“And Americans were happy about it. You proved that point before I even said it.”
Trump’s hatred for the US women’s team has been long-standing and dates back to 2019 when forward Megan Rapinoe was caught saying “I’m not going to the fu**ing White House” after her team won the FIFA World Cup.
Rapinoe claimed Trump is sexist and misogynistic, describing herself as “a walking protest.”
The US icon also urged her teammates to stay away from Trump and reminded them of the former President’s views.
“Considering how much time and effort and pride we take in the platform we have, using it for good and leaving the game in a better place and hopefully the world in a better place, I don’t think I would want to go.
“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 we fight for.”
While Rapinoe is yet to comment on Trump’s latest words, she did admit the US got their “asses kicked” against Sweden and described the performance as “frustrating.”
Despite that result, a 6-1 win against New Zealand and a draw against Australia has seen the US qualify for the quarter-finals, where they’ll face the Netherlands on Friday.