Republican Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Tax American Athletes Who Betray Their Country for Foreign Adversaries
American athletes who pocket cash from communist China and other hostile nations while competing under their flags would finally face consequences under bold new legislation that treats such betrayals exactly like what they are: working for the enemy.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) has drawn a line in the sand with the OLYMPICS Act—legislation designed to hit traitorous athletes where it hurts most: their wallets. The bill targets Americans who choose to represent foreign adversaries on the world stage, then profit handsomely from that decision while still enjoying the protections and privileges of U.S. citizenship.
The timing couldn’t be clearer. Freestyle skier Eileen Gu just grabbed gold and two silvers competing for communist China at the Winter Olympics in Milan—her second Games wearing the Chinese flag instead of the Stars and Stripes. Born and raised in America, educated in American schools, Gu turned her back on her country to cash in on lucrative endorsement deals and prize money from Beijing.
Making Treason Expensive
The OLYMPICS Act—”Officially Limiting Yearly Money Procured by Individuals Concerning Sportsmanship”—would impose an excise tax on income earned by American citizens who compete internationally for designated “foreign entities of concern.” That list includes the usual suspects: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
“Any American who works with a foreign adversary has not only betrayed our country, but must be stripped of all benefits from doing so,” Ogles declared. “That is why I am ensuring that the IRS takes every dollar earned by athletes like Eileen Gu.”
The congressman isn’t mincing words. This legislation recognizes a fundamental truth that Washington has ignored for too long: you don’t get to have it both ways. You can’t wrap yourself in the Chinese flag for profit while maintaining your American passport as a safety net.
American Citizenship Is a Privilege, Not a Piggy Bank
“Being American is a privilege, and anyone who openly mocks that privilege on the world stage must be punished,” Ogles stated flatly. That’s the kind of clarity Americans deserve from their elected officials.
The financial details matter here. While China keeps its Olympic prize money figures under wraps—convenient, isn’t it?—athletes competing for Beijing enjoy substantial payouts and access to China’s massive endorsement market. Gu herself has secured deals worth millions from Chinese companies eager to use her American upbringing as a propaganda tool.
She benefited from America’s education system, its freedoms, its Olympic training infrastructure. Then she sold that investment to the highest bidder—a communist dictatorship actively working against American interests on the global stage.
A Pattern of Disloyalty
This isn’t Gu’s first rodeo competing for China. She also represented Beijing at the 2022 Winter Olympics—held in China itself, where she conveniently avoided tough questions about Uyghur genocide and the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights abuses. Raised by a mother who immigrated from China, Gu made her choice: American opportunity, Chinese loyalty, maximum profit.
Vice President JD Vance captured the sentiment perfectly when he noted that “someone who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America.”
Hope is nice. Tax consequences are better.
Long Overdue Accountability
The OLYMPICS Act won’t apply retroactively—Gu skates on her previous earnings—but it establishes a crucial precedent going forward. Future athletes eyeing fat contracts from foreign adversaries will need to calculate whether betraying their country is worth the financial hit.
Critics will inevitably cry foul, claiming athletes should have freedom to compete for whoever they choose. They’re right about the freedom part—Gu can absolutely compete for China if she wants. But freedom doesn’t mean freedom from consequences. It doesn’t mean American taxpayers should subsidize someone’s decision to work for our enemies.
The legislation recognizes that representing a foreign government in international competition isn’t just about sports. It’s about prestige, propaganda, and political messaging. When an American-raised athlete stands on an Olympic podium while China’s national anthem plays, Beijing scores a propaganda victory worth far more than any medal.
Drawing the Line
Republicans are finally asking the right question: why should Americans who actively advance the interests of hostile foreign powers get to keep all the benefits of U.S. citizenship without bearing any costs for their disloyalty?
The OLYMPICS Act provides a measured, appropriate answer. It doesn’t strip citizenship or impose criminal penalties. It simply ensures that if you’re going to profit from representing China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea against American interests, the IRS gets its cut—a steep one.
That’s not punishment. That’s accountability. And it’s long overdue.
