The first openly gay athlete to qualify to represent America at the Winter Olympics has claimed that he wouldn't go to the White House even if he was invited by the president.

Adam Rippon, 28, who secured his place on Team USA during the US figure skating championships earlier this month, hit out at Donald Trump during an interview with the BBC, saying that he felt it was his 'duty' to turn down any invitation to the Trump White House.

'Athletes are given a really special platform. It’s our duty, as athletes, to be role models. I won’t go to the White House,' he said.

Standing strong: Figure skater Adam Rippon, who is the first openly gay athlete to qualify to represent the USA at the Winter Olympics, says he would decline an invite to the White House

On his way: The 28-year-old explained his reasons after shining at the US figure skating championships in San Jose earlier this month

'Given this platform of being an Olympic athlete, I think it's really important that we stand up for what we believe in, and we speak out against things that we think are wrong and unjust.'

Outlining his reasoning, Adam cited Trump's rhetoric, but also said he was sure he wouldn't be welcome anyway.

'I don’t think somebody like me would be welcome there,' he said. 'I know what it’s like to go into a room and feel like you’re not wanted.'

Adam, who will be representing his country this year in the men’s singles at the PyeongChang Games, also singled out Trump's disrespect of others, saying that it clashed with his own upbringing.

Simple manners: Adam claimed that his mother 'would kick my a**' if he talked to others the way that Trump does

Celebration: Adam is seen throwing up a high kick after getting awarded an impressive 96.52 on his Short Program performance

Hitting the mark: Adam cited his position as a role model as a reason to decline an offer to attend the White House

'If I talked to people the way that President Trump talks to people, my mom would kick my a**,' he said.

While Adam is the firstly openly gay man to qualify for the Games, his fellow figure skater Johnny Weir came out in 2011, after competing in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics, having avoided speculation about his sexuality up until that point, refusing to speak out about it until after he finished competing.

He later confirmed he was gay in his 2011 memoir, Welcome to My World.

While he has made history with his qualification, Adam will likely not be the only openly gay athlete on the team by the time the Olympics roll around - nor the only openly gay athlete to preemptively refuse an invite to the Trump White House.

Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy already had an Olympic slopestyle silver medal under his belt before coming out in 2015 and had even visited the White House after the 2014 Olympics to meet Barack Obama - an experience he called 'thrilling.'

Looking up: The skater claimed that someone like him 'wouldn't be welcome' at the Trump White House

Joining up: Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy has also said he would refuse a Trump invitation

Making headlines: Skier Lindsey Vonn also preemtively RSVP'd 'no' saying that 'I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government' that represent the country well

Gus will find out later this month if he qualifies for the PyeongChang-bound team - and is in a great position for a spot - but claims that he will be giving the next White House trip a miss.

'I am very proud to represent the U.S. but I don’t stand by (U.S. President Donald) Trump and his cabinet and their policies,' Gus told Reuters.

'I do not want to feign approval for policies that are in place and things that are being pushed at the moment, by going. If I was invited I would decline my spot.'

Skier Lindsey Vonn similarly said she would be declining any future invitation, saying that while she will do her best to represent the country well, 'I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.'