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10 Jul, 2019 09:44

'You need to do better': U.S. soccer captain Megan Rapinoe sends message to Donald Trump (VIDEO)

'You need to do better': U.S. soccer captain Megan Rapinoe sends message to Donald Trump (VIDEO)

United States women's football captain Megan Rapinoe sent a message to United States president Donald Trump during an appearance on U.S. news network CNN, telling him he needs to "do better for everyone" during his presidency.

Rapinoe led the United States to victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup in France this summer, and has been a leading voice in the women's team's campaign for equal pay compared to their male counterparts.

READ MORE: 'I am very deeply American': Megan Rapinoe responds to accusations of lacking patriotism

She has also been a vocal opponent of the Trump administration, and was quoted as saying that if the team was invited to the White House, she would not be "going to the f*cking White House."

It led to Trump tweeting criticism directly at Rapinoe during the tournament, saying: that she "should WIN first before she talks!" and encouraging her to "finish the job!"

"We haven't yet invited Megan or the team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose," Trump then added.

"Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team. Be proud of the Flag that you wear."

Also on rt.com WATCH: ‘F*ck Trump’ chant breaks out during live Fox News Women’s World Cup broadcast

And after her team's victorious campaign in France, Rapinoe was invited to appear on CNN for an interview with Anderson Cooper, who asked the striker if she had a message for the president.

Speaking straight into the camera, Rapinoe said: "Your message is excluding people. You're excluding me, you're excluding people that look like me, you're excluding people of color, you're excluding Americans that maybe support you.

"I think that we need to have a reckoning with the message that you have and what you're saying about 'Make America Great Again'. I think that you're harking back to an era that was not great for everyone.

"It might have been great for a few people, and maybe America is great for a few people right now, but it's not great for enough Americans in this world, and I think that we have a responsibility, each and every one of us (and) you have an incredible responsibility as the chief of this country to take care of every single person, and you need to do better for everyone."

And on the topic of a White House visit, Rapinoe doubled down on her original comments, though she admitted she regretted the language she used at the time.

"I would not go, and every teammate that I've talked to explicitly about it would not go," she said.

"I don't think anyone on the team has any interest in lending the platform that we've worked so hard to build, and the things that we fight for, and the way that we live our life - I don't think that we want that to be co-opted or corrupted by this administration."

Also on rt.com ‘We don’t want to go’: World Cup hero Rapinoe doubles down on Trump White House snub

However, Rapinoe did say that she accepted invitations to go to Washington to meet with bipartisan Congress after invitations from lawmakers Chuck Schumer, Nanci Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"Everyone is interested in going to Washington," she explained.

"This is such a special moment for us, and to be able to sort of leverage this moment and talk about the things that we want to talk about and to celebrate like this with the leaders of our country is an incredible moment.

"So yes to AOC, yes to Nancy Pelosi, yes to the bipartisan Congress, yes to Chuck Schumer - yes to anyone else that wants to invite us and have a real substantive conversation, and that believes in the same things that we believe in."

Also on rt.com ‘Oh, she dirty!’ US star Morgan’s twerking goes viral amid Women’s World Cup celebrations (VIDEO)

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