Vice President Mike Pence is headed to South Korea to lead the United States delegation as they take part in the 2018 Winter Olympics. After news circulated that a gay American skater refused to meet with Pence due to his stance on LGBT issues, the vice president lashed out on Twitter.
Headed to the Olympics to cheer on #TeamUSA. One reporter trying to distort 18 yr old nonstory to sow seeds of division. We won’t let that happen! #FAKENEWS. Our athletes are the best in the world and we are for ALL of them! #TEAMUSA
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 8, 2018
Pence on Twitter
Over the course of the next two and a half weeks, athletes from around the world will take part in the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang County, South Korea.
For the United States, the biggest headline coming out of the pre-game news is that Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon would not meet with Mike Pence heading into the games. Rippon, the first openly gay athlete to win a spot on the United States Winter Olympics team, has opposed the vice president due to his controversial stance on LGBT issues, saying last month, "The same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy?"
.@Adaripp I want you to know we are FOR YOU. Don’t let fake news distract you. I am proud of you and ALL OF OUR GREAT athletes and my only hope for you and all of #TeamUSA is to bring home the gold. Go get ‘em!
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 8, 2018
After Adam Rippon doubled down on his comments during an interview with the USA Today, the vice president's office pushed back, calling the allegations of his conversion therapy support as "misinformed." In a tweet early Thursday morning, Pence ripped into the media in an attempt to ease the tension with Rippon.
"Headed to the Olympics to cheer on Team USA. One reporter trying to distort 18 yr old non-story to sow seeds of division," Pence wrote. "We won’t let that happen! FAKE NEWS. Our athletes are the best in the world and we are for ALL of them!" he added.
Pence to Rippon
In a follow-up post, Mike Pence tagged Adam Rippon in yet another attempt to reach out and make amends.
"Adaripp I want you to know we are FOR YOU. Don’t let fake news distract you," Pence tweeted. "I am proud of you and ALL OF OUR GREAT athletes and my only hope for you and all of Team USA is to bring home the gold. Go get ‘em!" he concluded.
Team USA figure skater Adam Rippon, who is openly gay, is refusing to meet Vice President Pence at the Olympics, saying: "I personally have nothing to say to Mike Pence..." https://t.co/JzXurrW9ok pic.twitter.com/o9iJfU7ZHD
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 7, 2018
Despite his denial, the vice president's history on LGBT issues is well-documented, as his conservative Christian ideology has been pushed for years in his own personal politics, which Donald Trump used in order to sure up votes from the religious right during the 2016 election.
Next up
As of press time, Adam Rippon has not responded to Mike Pence as he's likely focusing on the upcoming Olympic Games. While it's unknown if the two will meet, the Olympics will begin on Thursday night and concluded on February 25. The games will be broadcasted across the NBC Network and on various cable, satellite and internet platforms.
