President Biden said on Thursday that the United States was considering a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing amid growing pressure to hold China accountable for human rights abuses.
The boycott would mean that no U.S. government officials would attend the Games, which are slated to begin in February, though it would not prevent U.S. athletes from competing.
As he met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, Mr. Biden responded to a reporter’s question about the potential for a diplomatic boycott by saying it was “something we are considering.”
The comment came after hawkish Republicans have for months called for the administration to use the Olympics as an opportunity to punish China over human rights violations.