Team USA ice skater Amber Glenn announced she would not be going to the White House after winning the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
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According to Us Weekly, Glenn announced her plans to skip going to the White House while attending the 37th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday.
“I’m electing not to either, so I do not blame them whatsoever,” she stated. “It is our right to be able to choose what we do and don’t endorse, and I think it is a decision that each individual has the right to make.”
Glenn previously spoke out about being a pansexual right before the Winter Olympics. “It is something that I will not just be quiet about because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives,” she said.
The ice skater also told Us that she received backlash from the remark. However, she refuses to focus on the negative.
“There’s been so much more love, and the amount of support and encouragement that I’ve received outweighs the hate immensely,” she said. “I know how much more important it is to have this visibility to young athletes than it is to these people that are being crabby and are hateful of empathy and kindness. What they have to say doesn’t matter.”
Team USA Women’s Hockey Also Announced They Would Not Be Visiting the White House
Glenn’s announcement comes just days after Team USA Women’s Hockey rejected an invitation to the White House.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” the team shared in a statement. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
The hockey players reportedly did not learn about the invitation until it was too late to make schedule changes.
The invitation decline occurred after President Trump told Team USA Men’s Hockey that he had to invite the women’s team.
After announcing plans to have the men’s team at the White House, Trump mentioned the women’s team. “And we have to, I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team. You do know that?”
As the men’s team laughed, Trump added, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”