Lindsey Vonn addresses feedback she received after saying she wouldn't go to the White House

Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn addressed the "tremendous amount of feedback, both positive and negative" she has received since her controversial interview on CNN last week.

In the interview, she said she would not visit President Donald Trump's White House if she were to win a medal at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. She added that she hopes "to represent the people of the United States, not the president."

In a lengthy Instagram post, Vonn, 33, shared her recent reflections, saying that "The point that I was trying to articulate is that all Olympic athletes represent their nation as a whole, and are not representatives of their government or any specific political figure or party. None of us work tirelessly for years on end to compete in the Olympics on behalf of Democrats or Republicans."

She continued, saying she is "extremely proud" she can express her own opinions openly, saying it is "a privilege that some others around the world don't have."

Vonn addressed America's perceived image around the world, one that is no longer an image of "hope, compassion, inclusion and world unity," and stressed that America "must lead with understanding and strive for unity in our relationships throughout the world."

Vonn then shared some of the comments she received:

"As for myself, my recent comments opened up my eyes as to how divided we are right now. It is hurtful to read comments where people are hoping I break my neck or that God is punishing me for being 'anti-Trump.' We need to find a way to put aside our differences and find common ground in communicating. Is it wrong to hope for a better world?"

As I head to France for the next races, I would like to share with you my reflections from the past few days. I've received a tremendous amount of feedback, both positive and negative, about my recent CNN interview. The point that I was trying to articulate is that all Olympic athletes represent their nation as a whole, and are not representatives of their government or any specific political figure or party. None of us work tirelessly for years on end to compete in the Olympics on behalf of Democrats or Republicans. The Olympics are a non-political event, a chance for everyone to put aside their differences and be on the same "team.". That does not mean that Olympic athletes don't have political opinions. As an American, I am extremely proud that our great nation was founded on principals and ideals where citizens can express our opinions openly. It is a privilege that some others around the world don't have. I am proud to be an American, and I want our country to continue to be a symbol of hope, compassion, inclusion and world unity. My travels around the world have recently made clear that this is no longer how people view the United States. You cannot pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV in Europe without noticing how people are questioning our direction. It seems to me that we must lead with understanding and strive for unity in our relationships throughout the world. As for myself, my recent comments opened up my eyes as to how divided we are right now. It is hurtful to read comments where people are hoping I break my neck or that God is punishing me for being "anti-Trump." We need to find a way to put aside our differences and find common ground in communicating. Is it wrong to hope for a better world? All of this is much bigger than skiing and the Olympics. I am going to take the next two months to focus on what I can do and right now that is competing for my country. In doing that, I will be hoping that we Americans can still be that "shining city on a hill."

A post shared by L I N D S E Y • V O N N (@lindseyvonn) on Dec 12, 2017 at 4:57am PST

Vonn had told CNN, "I take the Olympics very seriously and what they mean and what they represent, what walking under our flag means in the Opening Ceremonies. And, you know, I want to represent our country well, and I don't think there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that."

Vonn, who hurt her back last weekend in a race, is striving to compete in her fourth Winter Olympics, and add to the two medals -- one gold -- she has won in her previous three games.

Vonn concluded her post with, "All of this is much bigger than skiing and the Olympics. I am going to take the next two months to focus on what I can do and right now that is competing for my country. In doing that, I will be hoping that we Americans can still be that 'shining city on a hill.'"