President Trump unequivocally congratulated the United States women’s soccer team after its repeat World Cup win on Sunday — putting aside, at least for the moment, the firestorm surrounding star forward Megan Rapinoe’s vow never to visit the White House.
“Congratulations to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team on winning the World Cup!” Trump tweeted. “Great and exciting play. America is proud of you all!”
Asked by reporters later in the day whether men and women World Cup soccer teams should make the same money — which Rapinoe has demanded — Trump responded, “I would like to see that, but you’ve also got to look at numbers… you have to look at who’s taking in what” and “see how they’re performing.”
“I don’t know what those numbers are,” Trump added. “And you have to see year round, how are they all drawing — what is the attendance for women’s soccer outside of World Cup. But I would like to see it.” (In a viral moment during the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump responded curtly to an activist concerned about women’s pay, “You’re gonna make the same if you do as good a job.”)
Rapinoe, the pink-haired team captain who emerged with the Golden Ball as top player and the Golden Boot as top scorer, has been an outspoken opponent of what she’s described as systemic gender inequality in the United States. Rapinoe previously knelt during the national anthem prior to rules changes that barred the practice. – READ MORE