Lindsey Vonn on backlash to her Trump comments: Some 'hoping I break my neck'

Scott Gleeson | USA TODAY Sports

In an Instagram post on Tuesday morning, U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn described the backlash she has faced since her remarks about President Donald Trump on CNN last week.

Vonn wrote that she has received comments from people "hoping I break my neck." Vonn had told CNN she would be representing "the people of the United States, not the president" in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games.  

Vonn, who recently suffered a minor back injury in Switzerland preparing for the Olympics, also wrote that some had told her, "God is punishing me for being 'anti-Trump.'"

"My recent comments (with CNN about President Donald Trump) opened up my eyes as to how divided we are right now," Vonn wrote, calling the comments "hurtful." 

Vonn wrote that she's received massive feedback — positive and negative — since her Trump comments. During the CNN interview, Vonn had also said, "I want to represent our country well. I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that."

Vonn attempted to further explain her remarks on Tuesday.

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"The point that I was trying to articulate is that all Olympic athletes represent their nation as a whole, and are not representatives of their government or any specific political figure or party," Vonn wrote. 

"I am proud to be an American, and I want our country to continue to be a symbol of hope, compassion, inclusion and world unity. My travels around the world have recently made clear that this is no longer how people view the United States... It seems to me that we must lead with understanding and strive for unity in our relationships throughout the world."

As I head to France for the next races, I would like to share with you my reflections from the past few days. I've received a tremendous amount of feedback, both positive and negative, about my recent CNN interview. The point that I was trying to articulate is that all Olympic athletes represent their nation as a whole, and are not representatives of their government or any specific political figure or party. None of us work tirelessly for years on end to compete in the Olympics on behalf of Democrats or Republicans. The Olympics are a non-political event, a chance for everyone to put aside their differences and be on the same "team.". That does not mean that Olympic athletes don't have political opinions. As an American, I am extremely proud that our great nation was founded on principals and ideals where citizens can express our opinions openly. It is a privilege that some others around the world don't have. I am proud to be an American, and I want our country to continue to be a symbol of hope, compassion, inclusion and world unity. My travels around the world have recently made clear that this is no longer how people view the United States. You cannot pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV in Europe without noticing how people are questioning our direction. It seems to me that we must lead with understanding and strive for unity in our relationships throughout the world. As for myself, my recent comments opened up my eyes as to how divided we are right now. It is hurtful to read comments where people are hoping I break my neck or that God is punishing me for being "anti-Trump." We need to find a way to put aside our differences and find common ground in communicating. Is it wrong to hope for a better world? All of this is much bigger than skiing and the Olympics. I am going to take the next two months to focus on what I can do and right now that is competing for my country. In doing that, I will be hoping that we Americans can still be that "shining city on a hill."

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