In what could send shockwaves throughout the international community, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders dropped a bombshell on unsuspecting reporters Thursday afternoon.
Sanders indicated that “no official decision” has been made on whether the United States will participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
JUST IN: Press Sec. Sarah Sanders: “No official decision has been made” on US participation in the Winter Olympics pic.twitter.com/5ZCvIRhLmr
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 7, 2017
This comes with the United States still at a de facto state of war with North Korea and tensions being raised dramatically on the Korean Peninsula since President Trump took office back in January.
It also mirrors a statement from United States UN Ambassador Nikki Haley earlier in the day.
Breaking: Amb. Nikki Haley not certain we should send our athletes to the Olympics. Will depend on NK situation.
— Martha MacCallum (@marthamaccallum) December 7, 2017
This comes on the same week that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Russia from the 2018 games in Pyeongchang (more on that here).
In one way, this does make some sense. We’re all well aware of North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un’s provocative actions in the past and the state’s weapons capability. If hostility with the the communist nation continues at its current trend, it might not be safe to send American athletes to the region.
Even then, these are some absolutely amazing remarks from the leaders of the United States in the lead up to the 2018 Winter Olympics.