“President Ratcheted Everything”: Donald Trump’s Unfiltered Thoughts, Fueled Megan Rapinoe’s Political Consciousness

USWNT Megan Rapinoe has been a role model for millions of women around the globe. She is an accomplished soccer player, and Rapinoe has also made monumental strides in the battle to achieve equal rights amongst genders. The iconic midfielder has always been one for equality, starting right from her childhood. As a 12-year-old, Megan would team up with boys and play against boys her age. Her prowess was only a trailer of what was to come years later.

In 2019, Rapinoe and co. steamrolled over their competition to lift the Women’s World Cup. While the team fought on the pitch for the trophy, Megan had another brawl going on elsewhere.

Megan Rapinoe had her political consciousness on fire

Having recently won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, USWNT star Megan Rapinoe has become one of the most decorated soccer stars in the U.S. She has been a primary figure in the fight for equal pay and equal rights for genders. The former captain has rarely stepped back from a confrontation and does not hold back in speaking her mind. One example of the same is her comment about not going to the White House in 2019.

Former President Trump was quick to respond to Rapinoe’s statements by calling her out. Thus adding fuel to the already lit political fire within Rapinoe. Discussing the same, Megan once said, “I made the choice to participate in the political discourse a long time ago. Obviously tweets from the president ratcheted everything up by a million, but I feel very comfortable talking about politics, so I don’t think it was a conscious decision of getting involved or not.”

READ MORE: “Don’t Let That Girl Beat You”: Megan Rapinoe Outclassing Men on Field Led to Male Competitors Parents Making Unsettling Comments About Her

Rapinoe added she understood the gravity of the situation and realized performance had to balance things out. Not only did the team lift the winner’s trophy, but Megan also won the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball awards at the tournament, perfectly backing her words up.

How the Rapinoe-Trump feud began

The ‘colorful’ words used by Megan Rapinoe are not the origin of their feud with Donald Trump. It comes from NFL’s Colin Kaepernick and his protest against police brutality.

In 2016, Kaepernick kneeled on the ground before a game as a sign of protest against police brutality. A month later, Rapinoe imitated Colin, giving a nod to his protests and “everything that he’s standing for.” Before the World Cup, a soccer magazine asked Rapinoe if she would accept the invite to the White House, should she receive one. Rapinoe’s response was not subtle (at all) as she said, “I’m not going to f***ing White House.” Yet again, demonstrating solidarity with Colin’s efforts. The response did not sit pretty with the then President, who asked Megan to “win before she talks.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Soccer Legend Megan Rapinoe Wants Dwayne Johnson Led XFL to Change Their Logo

Rapinoe’s efforts were pivotal in marking a huge achievement in Women’s soccer off the pitch. The purple-haired soccer phenom won the Ballon d’Or Féminin, the World Cup, the Olympics, and many more individual awards to cement her legacy as one of the greatest female soccer players, both on and off the pitch.