A week after being warned by the President of the United States not to “disrespect” her country, Megan Rapinoe says her willingness to speak out makes her “extremely American”.

The USA winger was criticised by Donald Trump after video emerged of her saying she would not visit the White House should the US win the Women’s World Cup. That statement, along with the fact that she has in the past knelt for the national anthem in protest against racial injustice in the States, led some critics to call her anti-American. On Wednesday, Rapinoe dismissed those claims.

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“I think that I’m particularly and uniquely and very deeply American,” Rapinoe told reporters. “If we want to talk about the ideals that we stand for, all the songs and the anthem and sort of what we were founded on, I think I’m extremely American.”

The 33-year-old Rapinoe has been outspoken about LGBTQ rights as well as racial and gender equality. She is also one of the most prominent voices in the US team’s battle with their federation over equal pay. The California native has also raised money for victims of the wildfires that hit her home state last year.

“I think I stand for honesty, for truth and for wanting to have the conversation,” she said. “And for looking at the country honestly and saying, yes, we are a great country and there are many things that are so amazing, and I feel very fortunate to be in this country. I’d never be able to do this in a lot of other places.

“But also, that doesn’t mean that we can’t get better, That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t always strive to be better. I think that this country was founded on a lot of great ideals, but it was also founded on slavery. And I think we just need to be really honest about that and be really open in talking about that, so we can reconcile that and hopefully move forward and make this country better for everyone.”

Rapinoe missed Tuesday’s semi-final victory over England with a hamstring strain but says she expects to be fit for the World Cup final on Sunday. She has five goals so far in the tournament, just one behind the leading scorers, her teammate Alex Morgan and England’s Ellen White.

If the US do refuse a visit to the White House, they would be following in the footsteps of the Golden State Warriors, who did not meet with the President after winning the NBA championship, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who skipped the trip after winning Super Bowl LII. Other US championship teams have visited Trump although some players on nearly every one of those teams have chosen to stay away. Rapinoe’s teammates Becky Sauerbrunn and Morgan have also said that they will not attend the White House. The US met with Barack Obama after they won the World Cup in 2015. Trump has said he will invite the team to the White House whether they win or lose.