President Joe Biden said on Monday that U.S. women’s soccer star and activist Megan Rapinoe represents “the best of what America stands for.”
The praise from the commander in chief comes after Hope Solo, a former U.S. women’s soccer player, claimed Rapinoe “almost bullied” the other players on the team into kneeling during the national anthem.
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During a ceremony at the White House on Monday to celebrate the WNBA championship-winning Seattle Storm, Biden gave a nod to Rapinoe and her partner, Sue Bird, who is a member of the basketball team.
“They define integrity and character, and as president, as an American, I am proud of how they have represented us, and they represent the best of what America stands for,” Biden said of the pair.
Rapinoe, a standout player and co-captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, was the first white athlete to participate in kneeling protests before the team’s matches. She praised Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protests in 2016 during the national anthem before NFL games, saying his message is especially relevant in 2020.
“Colin Kaepernick never shied away,” Rapinoe said during the ESPYs, an annual sports award show. “He knew that discomfort was essential to liberation and that fighting the oppression against black people is bigger than sports.”
During the White House event on Monday, Biden also acknowledged how the team is making waves beyond basketball.
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“What makes this team remarkable is they don’t just win games, they change lives. That’s what winners do. They shine the light and lift people up. They’re a force for change. That’s the Seattle Storm, that’s the WNBA,” Biden said.
The players gave Biden a Seattle Storm jersey during the event.
