The New York Times and its subsidiary, The Athletic, have once again demonstrated their undeniable slant toward Communist China.
Following the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, the outlet’s coverage of American-born skier Eileen Gu and the gold-medal-winning U.S. Men’s Hockey team reveals a disturbing double standard: fawning praise for a “cosmopolitan” athlete representing an authoritarian regime, contrasted with cynical skepticism toward actual American patriots.
The Athletic wasted no time elevating Gu, the San Francisco-born athlete who chose the Chinese flag over the Stars and Stripes. Describing her as a “scientist, politician, skier, model, and student,” the outlet compared her to a “magician” whose mastery “dazzles” the audience. Yet, when it came to the U.S. Men’s Hockey team — who captured the hearts of the nation with a gritty gold-medal run — the tone shifted to a lecture. The outlet warned that while it’s “nice to be feted as a winner,” athletes must realize that such celebrations are “easily repurposed into political capital.”
How the New York Times covers a traitor winning medals for our greatest adversary
vs.
How the New York Times covers our boys winning medals for the glory of the U.S.
Just appalling beyond belief. pic.twitter.com/AjTSGjROvV
— Batya Ungar-Sargon (@bungarsargon) February 24, 2026
The message from the media elite is clear: National loyalty is a “crude” relic of the past, while “world citizenship”—especially when funded by the CCP — is the ultimate modern virtue.
This contrast has reignited a fierce national debate. National Review senior editor Charles C. W. Cooke didn’t mince words, labeling Gu’s decision as “adjacent to treason.” Cooke noted that if an American had defected to the Soviet Union for Olympic glory in the 1970s, the “grotesque” nature of the move would have been obvious. “She chose to represent a communist dictatorship over the United States,” Cooke pointed out. “That is the wrong call.”
National Review editor-in-chief Rich Lowry furthered this critique, contrasting the “bloody-mouthed” hockey players, like star Jack Hughes, with Gu’s brand-managed persona. While the hockey team played for their country and the memory of their late teammate Johnny Gaudreau, Gu represents a “cosmopolitan ideal” that floats above nationhood.
“Is loyalty to country a matter of choice, or an unalterable commitment?” Lowry asked, highlighting the divide between those who feel fundamental gratitude toward America and those who maintain a “critical distance.”
The controversy extends far beyond the slopes. Critics like Bill Maher have slammed the trend of American icons — from LeBron James to John Cena — “kowtowing” to Beijing to protect their bottom lines. Maher pointed out the hypocrisy of athletes and celebrities who ignore China’s “authoritarian surveillance state” and the genocide of the Uyghurs while lecturing Americans on social justice at home.
As the 2026 Games conclude, the legacy of these Olympics isn’t just about medals; it’s about the widening chasm between an elite media class that sneers at patriotism and a public that still believes in the red, white, and blue.
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