U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Wednesday that it remains an "open question" whether American athletes will be able to attend the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Haley made the comment while speaking with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum, who asked whether it is safe for U.S. athletes to go to South Korea while tensions remain high between the U.S. and North Korea.
"I think those are conversations that we're going to have to have, but what have we always said? We don't ever fear anything; we live our lives," Haley said. "And certainly that's a perfect opportunity for all of them to go and do something they have worked so hard for."
"What we will do is, we will make sure that we're taking every precaution possible to make sure that they're safe and to know everything that's going on around them," Haley added. "So I think that's something the administration is going to come together and find out the best way to make sure they're protected."
MacCallum then asked if it is a "done deal" that U.S. athletes will be able to attend the Olympics.
"There's an open question," Haley responded. "I have not heard anything about that, but I do know that in the talks that we have—whether it's Jerusalem, whether it's North Korea—it is always about, how do we do protect U.S. citizens in the area? And so those are conversations that are happening."
MacCallum followed up by asking whether Haley would feel comfortable sending family members if they were U.S. Olympic athletes.
"I think it depends on what's going on at the time in the country," Haley said. "We have to watch this closely, and it is changing by the day."
The 2018 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be held Feb. 9-25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. In recent months, tensions between the U.S. and North Korea have risen as Pyongyang continues to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs.