The White House is standing by its decision not to pursue a diplomatic boycott of next year’s winter Olympics in Beijing despite new pressure from a human rights group and key senators urging all U.S. officials to skip the games. Doing so, these advocates say, would send a message to the world that the persecution of China’s Uyghur Muslim population will not be ignored.
A National Security Council spokesman told RealClearPolitics on Friday that the U.S. still has no plans to discuss a diplomatic boycott with allies and partners. Ned Price, a State Department spokesman, had signaled an interest earlier this month in pursuing such a step, which would allow U.S. athletes to participate in the games but bar U.S. lawmakers and other government officials from traveling there, but he quickly walked it back just days later.