'Terrible': Donald Trump condemns US-led boycott of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

Former US President Donald Trump on Sunday condemned the US-led boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, rejecting the idea as ‘terrible,’ and adding that such politically motivated moves may impact the spirits of the players. In a televised interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Trump lambasted Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that he ‘is a killer, but I had a great relationship with him.’

The former US leader then said that he wouldn’t encourage the US to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing “because of how it makes the country look.” 

Trump then cited the experience of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, as he said, that he “watched Jimmy Carter do it [in 1980] and it was terrible.”

He then went on to add, “It was terrible. It hurts the athletes. There are much more powerful things we can do than that.”

The ex-president stressed, that the boycott of the games “is not a powerful thing. It almost makes us look like, I don't know, sore losers.”He, although said that he would like to see the US athletes competing and winning "every single medal.” 

Trump says he had 'a great relationship' with China 

Trump in his broadcast referred to the US-led boycott of the Olympics Games in the year 1980 in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In a retaliatory move, the Soviet Union and its closest allies boycotted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, US. Biden administration announced a formal diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics citing China’s human rights abuses and persecution of the Uyghur minority community in the Xinjiang region. In his interview with Fox, Trump said that he had ‘a great relationship’ with the Chinese president Xi Jinping.

“I really believe he liked me, I like him,” said Trump. “He is a killer but I had a great relationship with him,” the former US leader told Fox news. 

In January 2020, the former Republican leader struck a trade deal with China which, he tweeted, will bring “both the USA & China closer together in so many other ways.” He then went on to praise Xi Jinping, as he tweeted “Terrific working with President Xi, a man who truly loves his country. Much more to come!” 

In March as the coronavirus spread across the world, Trump spoke with the Chinese president and tweeted, “Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!” Ex-President Trump and Xi Jinping’s relations soured after China’s projected non-cooperation and lack of transparency over the novel SRAS-CoV-2 spread.

When Trump and the former First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19, Chinese leader Jinping sent a ‘best wishes’ message for their recovery.