In an interview broadcast Thursday, out Olympian Adam Rippon expanded on his decision to boycott a visit to the White House in protest of President Donald Trump's policies.

Fellow out Olympian Gus Kenworthy, who also skipped the visit, interviewed Rippon for the ABC News segment which aired on Nightline.

Rippon said that he does not think less of people who attended the event because “going to the White House is an incredible experience.”

“This is different because this isn't politics aside. This is human decency first. No matter if it's a Democrat or a Republican in office, the Olympics are about the country coming together. We even saw it with so many athletes not going to the White House. And it's just a simple act, but I think that it's important that if we see an administration that discriminates against trans members in the military or our own Muslim-American citizens, that we need to speak up,” Rippon said.

When Kenworthy asked, “Are you America's sweetheart?” Rippon admitted that he gave himself the title.

“I gave myself that title because I was like, you know, I feel in a very powerful place right now. I'm going to say that I'm America's sweetheart once and see what happens. I said it once in a press conference. And then I did something on the news. And I could read on the screen underneath, and it was like, America's sweetheart, Adam Rippon,” he said.

“And I was like ...” Rippon started.

“You've arrived,” Kenworthy interrupted.

“Yeah,” Rippon responded.