Haley said sending Americans remains an ‘open question’ given how tensions remain high in the Korean Peninsula.
Nikki Haley, America’s ambassador to the United Nations, suggested that the United States’ participation in February’s Winter Olympics in South Korea remains up in the air, while the White House said Thursday that “no official decision has been made” regarding the games.
Haley was initially asked Wednesday night on Fox News whether sending American athletes was a “done deal” given the tensions in the region, and responded that the situation is an “open question.”
“I have not heard anything about that,” she added, “but I do know in the talks that we have — whether it’s Jerusalem or North Korea — it’s about, how do we protect the U. S. citizens in the area?”
Her comments came on the day President Donald Trump announced the U. S. would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel — causing uproar among world leaders and fueling the threat of violent protests.
A spokesperson for the U. S. Mission to the U. N. said on Thursday that Haley’s statements were taken out of context.
“The United States looks forward to participating in the Winter Olympics in the Republic of Korea next year,” the spokesperson said. “As always, the protection of American citizens overseas is our most important priority. We remain closely engaged with the Koreans and other partner nations to secure the venues as we do every Olympics.”
On Thursday afternoon, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders cited security considerations when she said going to the Olympics wasn’t set in stone.
But “the goal,” she said, is for athletes to compete.
Minutes after the daily press briefing ended, Sanders clarified her remarks in a tweet saying that “the U.
