Media

Why conservatives are cheering the World Cup exit of USWNT star Megan Rapinoe

by Sarakshi Rai - 08/08/23 1:41 PM ET

After the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) made a historically early exit from the Women’s World Cup championship with a loss to Sweden on Sunday, star Megan Rapinoe has taken a slew of criticism online and in conservative media.

Leading far-right pundits and even former President Trump have cheered the team’s loss and used the opportunity to blast Rapinoe’s progressive politics.

The soccer superstar and social activist, a vocal advocate for reproductive and transgender rights, has long been the target of conservative angst.

Attacks on the LGBTQ icon spiked this week after she missed a crucial penalty against Sweden on Sunday, prompting a torrent of abuse on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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“Woke” and “anti-American” were some of the most commonly used words in the online trolling directed at Rapinoe — echoing the sentiment from Trump.

“Many of our players were openly hostile to America – No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. “WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. Nice shot, Megan, the U.S. is going to Hell!!! MAGA.”

Podcaster Megyn Kelly said on “The Megyn Kelly Show” that she was “thrilled” the U.S. team lost.

“I’m glad you went down. You don’t support America. I don’t support you. And I know I’m not alone.”

FILe – In this April 8, 2016 file photo, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly attends the 2016 Variety’s Power of Women: New York in New York. Donald Trump met with Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, who he has been bad-mouthing on social media since he was angered by a question she asked him last summer. Fox says the meeting, in New York’s Trump Tower, will be discussed on Kelly’s Fox show Wednesday night. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

A headline on the conservative Daily Caller website this week read: “US Women’s Soccer Hilariously Eliminated From World Cup In Such Sweet, Sweet Poetic Justice.”

Similarly, Blaze Media contributor T.J. Moe said that he was “glad” the team lost.

“The attitude of the USWNT reflects such poor values it’s sickening. They need an overhaul,” he wrote. “The America-hating, entitled, ungrateful group, led by Megan Rapinoe, needs to go. Quite fitting she’s the one who blew their best chance to win.”

Writing in an opinion piece in the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post — entitled “Don’t cry for Megan Rapinoe and humiliated USWNT” — British tabloid personality Piers Morgan referred to the team as a “bunch of unpatriotic losers,“ “activist prima donnas” and “an absolute disgrace.”

On Fox News, the top-watched cable news channel, host Sean Hannity dedicated a portion of his Monday night broadcast to the U.S. national team’s loss, blasting Rapinoe during a discussion with right-wing commentators Tomi Lahren and Clay Travis.

The panel took particular issue with Rapinoe declining an invitation to visit Trump’s White House after her second World Cup win.

Rapinoe last year faced similar ire from some conservatives after voicing her opposition to the Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade, arguing that the decision would disproportionately affect poor women, women of color, immigrants, women in abusive relationships and women who have been raped.

United States’ Megan Rapinoe reacts after failing to score during a penalty shootout during the Women’s World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and the United States in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

According to USSoccer.com, Rapinoe was also the first white athlete and first female to kneel during the national anthem in solidarity with football player Colin Kaepernick.

Tim Miller, a former aide to Jeb Bush who writes for the anti-Trump website “The Bulwark,” during a recent appearance on MSNBC called the backlash against the American athletes “gross.”

Miller argued many of the gripes against Rapinoe and the U.S. team are coming from people “who pretend to care about women’s sports.”

“You know, anytime the trans athletes’ issues come up, but they actually root against our women’s athletes, make fun of the WNBA and the whole thing is a farce,” he said.

Rapinoe has so far not commented on the outrage surrounding the team. She called her missed penalty kick a “sick joke” after Sunday’s game, explaining why she was smiling on the field.

“For me personally, this is dark comedy, that I missed a penalty,” she told Fox Sports.

“That’s why I had that smile on my face. I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be f—ing kidding me.’ I’m going to miss a penalty? I mean, honestly, I can’t remember the last time I missed.”