Adam Rippon skips Trump White House visit: ‘I will not stand with people who discriminate’

Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon skipped the Team USA visit to the White House on Friday, following through on a vow he made earlier this year.

Rippon said in January that he did not think he would be welcome at the Trump White House because he is gay.

“Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today,” Rippon tweeted Friday. “I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different.”

Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today. I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different. In lieu of going to DC, I have donated to a few of my favorite causes ‍♂️❤️ https://t.co/qDXqswTHdF

— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018

Rippon said that in lieu of the visit, he would make donations to Planned Parenthood, GLAAD and the Red Cross and encouraged his Twitter followers to do the same.

{mosads}“If you want to join me and you’re able to give a little, go for it!” he tweeted. “I think when we’re able to help each other out and do what we can to lift each other up, that’s when we’re truly making America great.”

Rippon, who became the first openly gay man to be named to a U.S. Winter Olympic team, has been a fierce critic of Trump and Vice President Pence over the administration’s handling of LGBT issues.

Other athletes, including freeskier Gus Kenworthy, the second openly gay American to be named to a Winter Olympic team, also skipped the Friday visit.