Megan Rapinoe’s girlfriend and basketball star Sue Bird published a World Cup article/editorial defending the USWNT star against President Donald Trump’s recent criticisms, and she did not mince her words.
In the article, published by Players’ Tribune, the Seattle Storm player wrote about the President’s Twitter abut Rapinoe, who spoke out about not wanting to visit the White House if the team won the Women’s World Cup.
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“I mean, some of it is kind of funny….. but like in a REALLY? REALLY? THIS GUY??? kind of way,” Bird wrote. “It would be ridiculous to the point of laughter, if it wasn’t so gross.”
She admitted that while she wanted to laugh at the silliness of the feud, the trolling stemming from Trump’s comments has been disturbing. The article was not all Trump comments, however, as the athlete also took time to praise her girlfriend, adding she was barely affected by the online harassment.
“You just cannot shake that girl,” she wrote. “She’s going to do her thing, at her own damn speed, to her own damn rhythm, and she’s going to apologize to exactly NO ONE for it.”
Bird added she believes the controversy should not take away from the massive achievement the team accomplished during the international soccer event. Rapinoe was a vital member of the USWNT scoring every single US goal in first two rounds of knockout play, CNN writes, and added two goals against Spain and France for a pair of narrow victories.
“I just think it’s also really important not to forget what this is actually, first and foremost, about, you know?” she writes. “It’s about a world-class athlete, operating at the absolute peak of her powers, on the absolute biggest stage that there is. It’s about an athlete f—ing killing it. It’s about Megan coming through.”
Bird is a pint guard for the Seattle Storm. She is a three-time world champion and a two-time WNBA champion, and has four Olympic gold medals. Forward even labeled her the “Megan Rapinoe of basketball.”
Bird was at the game when Rapinoe helped Team USA win the World Cup with an impressive penalty kick, giving the team their fourth win in history and second consecutive win at the World Cup.
Rapinoe became a viral star earlier in the tournament when she told a reporter “I’m not going to the f—ing” White House” in June, talking about the possibility of winning.
Trump responded on Twitter at the time saying she “should WIN first before she TALKS!”
“Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag,” he added.
Rapinoe called out the president further ahead of the USWNT’s victory parade saying his “message is excluding people.” After the winning the title, the soccer star maintained she would not be going to the White House, “and every teammate I’ve talked with won’t go either.”
