PARIS (AP) — Every single thing Simone Biles has done at the Paris Olympics has been spotlighted: four medals, an online feud with a former teammate and a social media post that appeared to take a swipe at presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Her TikToks regularly draw millions of views — 14.4 million have watched her “Get Ready with Me” makeup application before the all-around finals — and her revelation that she’d gotten Botox for her 27th birthday made headlines. She also had a clap back at trolls who criticized her husband for wearing one of her gold medals: "like y’all are so (expletive) miserable. leave us alone,” she wrote.
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Simone Biles, of United States, performs on the beam during the women's artistic gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates after performing on the floor during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Simone Biles, of the United States, waits for her score on the floor during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, after receiving her score on the vault during the women's artistic gymnastics individual vault finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, is surrounded by media during the women's artistic gymnastics individual balance beam finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Simone Biles, of the United States, smiles after she performs on the floor during the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates with teammate Suni Lee, left, after Biles won gold and Lee won bronze in the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Simone Biles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Simone Biles, of the United States, is introduced during the women's artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, smiles after completing her floor routine during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Simone Biles, of United States, performs on the beam during the women's artistic gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
When she bowed in a show of sportsmanship to rival Rebeca Andrade, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey branded it disgusting and was overwhelmingly roasted on the internet.
Biles is the most decorated gymnast of all-time and America’s golden girl. She uses her platform to normalize discussions about mental health and opened the topic to widespread conversation at the Tokyo Games when she pulled out of some events over concern about her headspace. Last week, she revealed she had therapy sessions the morning of some Paris events.
Biles has a unique ability to retain her staying power beyond Olympic cycles, in part because of her remarkable career achievements. But it is also her authenticity that has made her relatable, inspirational and liked by millions around the world.
“Part of it is indeed the talent. But part of it is the story,” said Mark Conrad, a Fordham University professor of law and ethics and director of the Sports Business Initiative, Gabelli School of Business.
“She was taken from a foster care situation and adopted by her grandparents, she didn't come from privilege,” Conrad continued. “I think people really admire her personality, her toughness and ability. And, more than anything, how she came back from what happened in Tokyo was extremely inspirational.”
Biles in Tokyo three years ago developed “The Twisties,” which is a sudden loss of air awareness during a routine. For her own safety, she pulled out of several events and started a dialogue on the mental health struggles of elite athletes.
She was widely supported in doing so, but a recent clip re-emerged of JD Vance, Trump's selection for vice president on the Republican ticket, criticizing the praise Biles received.
“I think it reflects pretty poorly on our sort of therapeutic society that we try to praise people, not for moments of strength, not for moments of heroism, but for their weakest moments,” Vance, who was running for the Senate, said at the time.
If Biles was stung by the attacks, she never let on, and her willingness to share her life on social media indicates she really doesn't care what people think about her or her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens.
She's shown an ability to withstand every setback despite the pressures of constant scrutiny, said John Baick, a professor of history at Western New England University.
“Considering what she went through in Tokyo, when people attacked her not only as weak, but as a traitor, and there were racial overtones to those attacks, she had seemed to be someone who kept a lot of her personal opinions personal,” Baick said. "But since Tokyo, she has been very cognizant of her place as an American, as an African American, as an African American woman — these multiple identities and what she is allowed to be.
“I think she is on a balance beam every minute of every day,” he continued. “It must take an enormous amount of pressure. For her it is 24/7, it is not just a couple of seconds when we are watching what she does.”
Statistics show just how bright the spotlight is on Biles. Social media management and analytics software Sprout Social found that her TikTok showing Team USA's gold medals from team competition is her most highly engaged post to date with nearly 50 million views and a media value of $12.88 million.
NBC, the official broadcast partner of the Olympics, also benefits from Biles. It said the day the United States won gold in team competition, it posted a total audience delivery of 34.7 million viewers across all NBC platforms. That nearly doubled the same day of competition for the Tokyo Olympics, the network said.
Her reach is so great that on Tuesday, former teammate MyKayla Skinner posted a video begging Biles to call off the dogs because of death threats she was receiving over their feud.
So perhaps Biles was feeling liberated when she seemed to enter the fray of the U.S. presidential race last week with what appeared to be a clap back at Trump’s comment about “Black jobs.”
“I love my black job,” Biles posted on social media in response to a post from singer Ricky Davila, who had said: “Iconic photo of the GOAT mastering her black job and collecting Gold Medals.” (Biles wore a diamond encrusted goat pendant around her neck during competition.)
Biles' post came hours after she held off Andrade of Brazil to win the all-around final, and it was reposted by LeBron James, among 150,000 others.
Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, argued during his June debate with Democratic President Joe Biden that migrants are taking “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs” from Americans. Trump’s critics called it a racist and insulting attempt to expand his appeal beyond his white conservative base.
Biles had never before waded into the political landscape and it is unclear if she will once the Olympics are over. And, there's no telling if Biles will make a presidential endorsement or what currency it might carry.
While she may not change the minds of any decided voters, a Biles endorsement could encourage some who might not have planned to vote to head to the polls. It's possible her post-Paris life could consist of fundraising or campaigning.
T. Bettina Cornwell, the Philip H. Knight Chair at the University of Oregon and head of the department of marketing, believes Biles can have some sway should she choose to publicly back a candidate.
“Presidential endorsements by respected public personalities carry weight, no matter their area of expertise. Voters look at people living respected lives, doing their best, and doing the right things for community and society,” Cornwell said. “Hearing their voices matter. If Simone Biles gave a presidential endorsement, it would have currency.”
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Simone Biles, of United States, performs on the beam during the women's artistic gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates after performing on the floor during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Simone Biles, of the United States, waits for her score on the floor during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, after receiving her score on the vault during the women's artistic gymnastics individual vault finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, is surrounded by media during the women's artistic gymnastics individual balance beam finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Simone Biles, of the United States, smiles after she performs on the floor during the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates with teammate Suni Lee, left, after Biles won gold and Lee won bronze in the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Simone Biles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Simone Biles, of the United States, is introduced during the women's artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, smiles after completing her floor routine during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Simone Biles, of United States, performs on the beam during the women's artistic gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
President Donald Trump moved to end a decades-old immigration policy known as birthright citizenship when he ordered the cancellation of the constitutional guarantee that U.S.-born children are citizens regardless of their parents’ status.
Trump's roughly 700-word executive order, issued late Monday, amounts to a fulfillment of something he's talked about during the presidential campaign. But whether it succeeds is far from certain as attorneys general in 18 states and two cities challenged the order in court on Tuesday, seeking to block the president.
Here's a closer look at birthright citizenship, Trump's executive order and reaction to it:
Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, regardless of their parents' immigration status. People, for instance, in the United States on a tourist or other visa or in the country illegally can become the parents of a citizen if their child is born here.
It's been in place for decades and enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, supporters say. But Trump and allies dispute the reading of the amendment and say there need to be tougher standards on becoming a citizen.
The order questions that the 14th Amendment extends citizenship automatically to anyone born in the United States.
The 14th Amendment was born in the aftermath of the Civil War and ratified in 1868. It says: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Trump's order excludes the following people from automatic citizenship: those whose mothers were not legally in the United States and whose fathers were not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; people whose mothers were in the country legally but on a temporary basis and whose fathers were not citizens or legal permanent residents.
It goes on to bar federal agencies from recognizing the citizenship of people in those categories. It takes effect 30 days from Tuesday, on Feb. 19.
The 14th Amendment did not always guarantee birthright citizenship to all U.S.-born people. Congress did not authorize citizenship for all Native Americans born in the United States, for instance, until 1924.
In 1898 an important birthright citizenship case unfolded in the U.S. Supreme Court. The court held that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the country. After a trip abroad, he had faced denied reentry by the federal government on the grounds that he wasn't a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act.
But some advocates of immigration restrictions have argued that while the case clearly applied to children born to parents who are both legal immigrants, it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status.
Eighteen states, plus the District of Columbia and San Francisco sued in federal court to block Trump's order.
New Jersey Democratic Attorney General Matt Platkin said Tuesday the president cannot undo a right written into the Constitution with a stroke of his pen.
“Presidents have broad power but they are not kings,” Platkin said.
Not long after Trump signed the order, immigrant rights groups filed suit to stop it.
Chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts along with other immigrant rights advocates filed a suit in New Hampshire federal court.
The suit asks the court to find the order to be unconstitutional. It highlights the case of a woman identified as “Carmen," who is pregnant but is not a citizen. The lawsuit says she has lived in the United States for more than 15 years and has a pending visa application that could lead to permanent status. She has no other immigration status, and the father of her expected child has no immigration status either, the suit says.
“Stripping children of the ‘priceless treasure’ of citizenship is a grave injury,” the suit said. "It denies them the full membership in U.S. society to which they are entitled."
In addition to New Jersey and the two cities, California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the lawsuit to stop the order.
President-elect Donald Trump, from left, takes the oath of office as Barron Trump and Melania Trump watch at the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)
President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. flags around the Washington Monument are at full staff during the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. Flags are supposed to fly at half-staff through the end of January out of respect for former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A young man reacts to information on how to prepare for the upcoming changes to undocumented families living in the U.S., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Sonia Rosa Sifore and other anti-Trump protesters gather in Federal Plaza to rally for a number of issues, including immigrant rights, the Israel-Hamas war, women's reproductive rights, racial equality and others, on the day of President Trump's Inauguration, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on birthright citizenship in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)