Megan Rapinoe appeared on CNN Wednesday where she addressed her and her team's opposition to visiting the White House. Speaking to Anderson Cooper alongside the U.S. Women's National Team's World Cup trophy, the co-captain and women's rights activist challenged Donald Trump's hateful rhetoric and said his message is excluding a large portion of Americans.
When asked by Cooper what she would say to Trump, Rapinoe looked into the camera and delivered her message to the president. "Your message is excluding people. You're excluding me, you're excluding people that look like me, you're excluding people of color, you're excluding Americans that maybe support you," she said.
She further challenged Trump's Make America Great America slogan, telling Cooper that "we need to have a reckoning" over the implications of his regressive catchphrase. "You're harking back to an era that was not great for everyone—it might have been great for a few people, and maybe America is great for a few people right now, but it's not great for enough Americans in this world."
Rapinoe then stood by her earlier remarks about refusing to visit the White House, saying she, and "every teammate" she's spoken to, has no interest in "lending the platform we've worked so hard build, the things that we fight for, and the way that we live our lives, I don't think we want that to be co-opted or corrupted by this administration." She continued, "I think it's an opportunity for this administration to put us on display as their guests for the day, and I don't think that makes sense for us at all."
The co-captain previously stated she would not be willing to visit the White House on account of Trump, to which the president responded by accusing Rapinoe of "disrespect[ing] our Country."
The four-time world champions are celebrating their World Cup victory in New York City today Wednesday, July 10. The victors were seen atop a float sipping champagne as the crowds applauded their 2-0 win over the Netherlands.
