Scott Bessent says Olympic skier Eileen Gu 'sold out' with decision to compete for China
Analysis Summary
This article tries to make you believe that American athletes who compete for other countries, especially China, are disloyal and self-serving. It mostly uses strong emotional appeals and creates a clear "us vs. them" scenario to push this idea, but it doesn't give you the full story about why athletes might make such choices.
FATE Analysis
Four dimensions of psychological manipulation: how content captures Focus, exploits Authority, triggers Tribal identity, and engineers Emotion.
Focus signals
"NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!"
This banner at the top of the article is a common feature on Fox News, designed to grab immediate attention and introduce the article's content.
"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighed in on the controversy over the American-born Olympic skier Eileen Gu's decision to compete for China over the U.S."
Framing Eileen Gu's decision as a 'controversy' and highlighting its reach to a Treasury Secretary gives it a sense of significant, perhaps unusual, importance.
Authority signals
"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighed in..."
The article opens by citing a high-ranking government official, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, whose position lends weight and perceived authority to the opinions expressed. His statements are explicitly centered.
"Vice President JD Vance in response to a question about Gu during a Tuesday interview on Fox News' 'The Story With Martha MacCallum.'"
The article uses the Vice President's comments, again leveraging the authority of a senior government official to frame the discussion around Eileen Gu.
"Fox News' 'The Will Cain Show'"
By citing a program on a major news network like Fox News, the article implicitly lends institutional weight to the discussions and opinions presented within those segments.
"Fox News' 'The Story With Martha MacCallum.'"
Similar to Will Cain's show, leveraging another prominent program on Fox News to contextualize the Vice President's comments adds institutional backing.
Tribe signals
"Eileen Gu's decision to compete for China over the U.S."
This immediately sets up a clear 'us' (U.S.) versus 'them' (China) dynamic, focusing on national allegiance as a divisive issue.
"America was great to her, she sold out to China. America was great to Mr. Soros."
The phrase 'sold out' weaponizes national identity and patriotism, implying a betrayal. Comparing her to George Soros, a figure often demonized in conservative media, further reinforces this 'us vs. them' and demonizes the 'other'.
"I certainly think 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...That's who I'm rooting for in this Olympics."
JD Vance explicitly creates an 'us vs. them' scenario based on national loyalty, implying that those who don't choose the U.S. are outside the acceptable 'tribe' of American athletes he supports.
"People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China."
Although a quote from Gu, the article includes this to highlight the tribal division, showing how her actions are interpreted through the lens of geo-political animosity and national identity.
"Gu has been the subject of global criticism since her decision to represent China..."
This statement highlights the social pressure and negative reinforcement Gu has faced, implying a collective disapproval that could deter others from similar actions due to fear of 'outcasting'.
Emotion signals
"Bessent suggested Gu 'sold out' with her decision to compete for America's greatest adversary, comparing her to billionaire Democrat donor George Soros."
The term 'sold out' is emotionally charged and designed to evoke outrage, especially when combined with the comparison to 'America's greatest adversary' and George Soros, a figure often associated with strong negative emotions in certain political circles. This is designed to provoke an emotional response of anger and betrayal rather than a reasoned discussion.
"I certainly think 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."
JD Vance's statement appeals to a sense of national pride and implied moral obligation, suggesting that to not choose the U.S. after benefiting from it is a failure of gratitude and loyalty, thereby positioning readers to feel morally superior if they agree.
"Gu has previously said she was 'physically assaulted' for her decision to represent China. 'The police were called. I’ve had death threats. I’ve had my dorm robbed,' Gu told The Athletic."
While these are quotes from Gu, the inclusion of such extreme experiences (assault, death threats, robbery) is likely to evoke strong emotions like shock, anger, and outrage in readers, irrespective of their stance on Gu's decision. This is an emotional spike that the article integrates.
Narrative Analysis (PCP)
How the article reshapes thinking: Perception (what beliefs are targeted), Context (what information is shifted or omitted), and Permission (what behavior is being encouraged).
The article aims to instill the belief that American athletes who choose to compete for other nations, especially China, are disloyal, self-serving, and betray American values. It wants the reader to perceive Eileen Gu's decision as a 'sell out' driven by opportunistic motives rather than personal choice or perceived benefits.
The article shifts the context from that of individual athletic competition and personal choice in a globalized world to one dominated by a 'us vs. them' geopolitical struggle. It frames Gu's decision not as an athlete's career move but as a political statement of allegiance.
The article omits deeper context regarding the complexities of dual citizenship, athletes' motivations for choosing national teams (which can include cultural ties, family, sponsorship, or competitive opportunities), or the general practice of athletes representing countries other than their birth country across various sports. It also omits detailed information about how Gu's particular background (e.g., mother's heritage) might influence her decision, focusing instead on the 'American-born' aspect as the sole defining characteristic.
The article implicitly grants permission for readers to criticize, distrust, and feel resentment towards athletes like Eileen Gu. It encourages a judgmental stance based on national loyalty, and perhaps even to support or engage in 'punching bag' behavior against those perceived as disloyal.
SMRP Pattern
Four manipulation maintenance tactics: Socializing the idea as normal, Minimizing concerns, Rationalizing with logic, and Projecting blame.
"America was great to her, she sold out to China. America was great to Mr. Soros."
Red Flags
High-severity indicators: silencing dissent, coordinated messaging, or weaponizing identity to shut down debate.
"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighed in on the controversy over the American-born Olympic skier Eileen Gu's decision to compete for China over the U.S. During an interview on Fox News' 'The Will Cain Show' on Friday, Bessent suggested Gu 'sold out' with her decision to compete for America's greatest adversary, comparing her to billionaire Democrat donor George Soros. ... Bessent referenced comments made by Vice President JD Vance in response to a question about Gu during a Tuesday interview on Fox News' 'The Story With Martha MacCallum.' ... 'I certainly think 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,' Vance said on 'The Story With Martha MacCallum.'"
"'I certainly think 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,' Vance said on 'The Story With Martha MacCallum.' 'So, I'm going to root for American athletes. I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That's who I'm rooting for in this Olympics.'"
Techniques Found(5)
Specific propaganda techniques identified using the SemEval-2023 academic taxonomy of 23 techniques across 6 categories.
"America was great to her, she sold out to China. America was great to Mr. Soros"
The quote attempts to associate Eileen Gu with George Soros, a figure often criticized by conservative media, implying that her actions are comparable to his in a negative light without directly stating it.
"America's greatest adversary"
This phrase uses emotionally charged language to describe China, pre-framing Eileen Gu's decision to compete for them negatively by associating it with an oppositional and threatening entity.
"she sold out to China"
The phrase 'sold out' is a negative label used to describe Gu's decision, implying betrayal or disloyalty, which is an attack on her character rather than her argument.
"I certainly think 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"
This quote appeals to patriotism and national pride, implying that a true American, especially one who benefited from 'freedoms and liberties,' should naturally choose to represent the U.S., thereby framing Gu's choice as contrary to these values.
"I'm going to root for American athletes. I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That's who I'm rooting for in this Olympics."
Vance plays on national pride by explicitly stating he will only root for 'American athletes' and those who 'identify themselves as Americans,' subtly implying that Gu, by competing for China, is not truly 'American' or worthy of support.