Klete Keller, 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, Identified As Capitol Rioter: Report

BY Erika Marie 4.0K Views
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Klete Keller, Olympics, Trump, Capitol
People are calling for him to be stripped of his medals after he was reportedly seen wearing his Olympic team jacket on video inside the Capitol.

Many critics of President Donald Trump have irresponsibly grouped his supporters into one specific category as memes about the types of people who stand by America's leader have circulated since he took office. However, Trump supporters come from varying backgrounds that include Olympic gold medalists like Klete Keller. The 38-year-old competitive swimmer boasts wins in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics, but after a video surfaced showing him among the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol last Wednesday (January 6), people are calling for him to be stripped of his medals.

According to the New York Times, Keller was identified by his former coaches and teammates because, in the video of him alongside dozens of others inside of the Capitol, the swimmer is seen wearing his Olympic team jacket with the "USA" patch. Keller has yet to respond to the controversy, but the public believes that his medals should be taken from him. As there have been calls for Trump to be impeached, Republicans who opposed the election results to be charged, and domestic terrorists to be arrested, no one involved in this incident on the capital is being spared from judgment.

For the past three years, Keller was reportedly employed at a Colorado real estate firm who confirmed that he's resigned "effective immediately." Check out a few reactions below.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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