Ivanka Trump’s new role: USA’s first fan
White House adviser dispatched to South Korea
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Ivanka Trump on Saturday played the role of first fan as she arrived at the Winter Olympics, while the Trump administration continued to push on the sidelines of the Games for its “maximum pressure” strategy to nudge North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile program.
Picked by her father, President Trump, to lead the delegation for the closing ceremony, Ivanka Trump arrived at the 2018 Winter Olympics on Saturday and plunged headfirst into the Games.
The president on Friday announced a new set of sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile program.
And Ivanka Trump, who also serves as a senior adviser to the president, reiterated in a visit with South Korean President Moon Jae- in the president’s commitment to a maximum- pressure strategy to push the North to stop developing its nuclear arsenal.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, part of the official delegation, said the administration won’t rest until the North gives up its nuclear program.
Ivanka Trump, meanwhile, turned her focus to the Games on Saturday.
She cheered American snowboarder Kyle Mack for his silvermedal- winning performance in the morning.
She caught Team USA capturing a historic gold in men’s curling.
In the evening, she took in the men’s and women’s mass start speedskating event.
She even managed to squeeze in a visit with some Olympians of the past.
Garrett Hines, former medalist in bobsled, jokingly tried to nudge Trump into declaring bobsledding her favorite sport. Trump laughed and said she’s into exhilarating sports, but the slopes are where her heart is.
“I’ve gotten super into bobsledding these Olympic Games, but I’m kind of a skier,” Trump said. “So skiing maybe No. 1, but I’m going to go with bobsledding No. 2.”
Angela Ruggiero, the 1998 Team USA women’s hockey gold medalist, was standing nearby and chimed in with faux exasperation that her sport deserves some love, too.
In recent history, presidents have mostly leaned on their first ladies, vice presidents or Cabinet members to lead delegations.
But Trump decided to go with his daughter.
While she might not have the title of some past Olympic delegation leaders, athletes seemed OK with her selection.
“I’m pretty psyched that she came out and got to see what we can do,” said USA snowboarder Red Gerard, a gold medalist in slopestyle who finished fifth in big air Saturday. “It’s a pretty fun sport to watch, and it’s definitely cool that she came out to support it.”