Lindsey Vonn has never been one to shy away from difficult questions, and her response about a potential White House visit under Donald Trump was no exception.
In 2025, when asked whether she would accept an invitation to the White House if offered, Vonn chose her words carefully. “Every Olympic athlete from Team USA is normally invited,” she said, emphasizing that the tradition applies regardless of medal results. But when pressed on whether she personally would attend, she declined to give a direct answer. “I’m not going to answer that question because, I’m just not going to answer it. I want to keep my passport.”
The remark, delivered with pointed restraint, appeared to signal caution without walking back her previously stated views.
Vonn’s earlier stance had been far more direct. Ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, during Trump’s first term, she told CNN she would “absolutely not” visit the White House if invited. She clarified that she aimed to represent the American people, not the president, adding that she did not believe the government at the time reflected the values she associated with the Olympics.
The renewed question came amid a challenging chapter in her career. At 41, Vonn competed in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, hoping to become the oldest alpine skier—male or female—to win an Olympic medal. Despite suffering a fully ruptured ACL just days before the Games, she chose to compete. During the downhill final, however, she crashed after clipping a timing gate mid-jump, resulting in a complex tibia fracture. She has since undergone multiple surgeries and faces further procedures upon returning to the United States.
As Team USA athletes traditionally receive White House invitations after the Games, whether Vonn would attend remains unanswered—though her history suggests the decision would not be made lightly.