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Everything Team USA’s Men and Women’s Hockey Teams Said About Trump Drama
President Donald Trump’s joke at the expense of Team USA’s women’s hockey team has divided the sports world following the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The controversy started after Team USA’s men and women’s hockey squads both won gold at the Milan and Cortina games. On February 22, 2026, President Trump called the men’s team in their locker room as they celebrated their overtime victory against Team Canada in the gold medal game. (Trump’s FBI director, Kash Patel, was partying with the men’s team in their locker room during the call.)
After inviting the men’s hockey team to his State of the Union address in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, February 24, Trump quipped: “We have medals for you guys. I must tell you, we‘re going to have to bring the women’s team. [If I don’t invite them,] I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
Several members of the men’s team could be heard laughing at Trump’s joke. USA Hockey subsequently announced that the women’s team would not make a White House visit or attend the State of the Union speech “due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.”
Dave Portnoy is weighing in on the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump’s alleged “joke” about the USA women’s hockey team after both the men and women took home 2026 Winter Olympics gold against the Canadians. “People are mad, they’re going nuts. ‘How could the [USA men’s] hockey team laugh, why are they talking to the […]
Keep scrolling for more about what both the men and women’s hockey teams have said about the controversy.
Jack Hughes Gives a Patriotic Speech After Men’s Gold Medal Win
Team USA center Jack Hughes scored the gold medal-winning goal in the men’s hockey finals against Team Canada on February 22, 2026 — a feat made all the more impressive since he’d lost multiple teeth after being cracked with a high stick by Canada’s Sam Bennett in the third period.
In a postgame interview, Hughes told NBC Sports’ Kathryn Tappen that his team’s Olympics success made him feel “proud to be an American.”
“This is all about our country right now,” Hughes said following Team USA’s win. “I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong. We had so much support from ex-players. I’m so proud to be an American today.”
In the locker room, the men’s team spoke with President Donald Trump. The president joked that he was ”going to have to bring the women’s team,” along with the men, for a White House visit or else he “probably would be impeached.”
Team USA Women’s Hockey Players Decline to Attend State of the Union Speech
In light of President Donald Trump’s joke, USA Hockey confirmed on February 23 that the women’s team would skip a White House visit and declined an offer to attend the State of the Union speech in Washington D.C.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” USA Hockey told NBC News. “They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
The Associated Press reported that the quick turnaround of Trump’s invitation for the team to travel to Washington D.C. would have caused logistical problems for the women.
Jack Hughes Tries to Downplay Women’s Team Skipping White House Visit
Team USA’s Jack Hughes seemingly tried to downplay the political implications of the female players turning down President Donald Trump’s offer to visit the White House and attend his State of the Union Speech.
“They’ve got busy schedules too,” Hughes told the Daily Mail on February 23, 2026. “Everyone is giving us backlash for all the social media stuff today.”
Hughes suggested that critics were putting a damper on both the men and women’s hockey teams’ success at Milan and Cortina.
“People are so negative out there and they are just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” Hughes complained. “People are so negative about things. I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support [the women’s team], how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us.”
Jack Hughes’ Mother Weighs In on Controversy Over Donald Trump’s Remarks
On February 24, Ellen Hughes — the mother of Team USA men’s standouts Jack and Quinn Hughes and a consultant for USA Hockey — defended her sons’ decision to party with FBI director Kash Patel and meet with President Donald Trump at the White House.
“I think at the end of the day, it’s just about the country and the moment that these players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” Ellen told Today. “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side. And that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.”
Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes of Team United States. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Ellen argued that her sons and their teammates’ decision to visit the White House and attend the State of the Union speech was not inherently political.
“If you could see what we see from the inside and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy, and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women,” she insisted. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Ellen went on, “The other things, they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity and they care about the country. I hope everybody just understands what we did in the moment, both the men and women to bring this country together and let everybody cheer in the same direction.”
Quinn and Jack Hughes Express Excitement Over Visiting the White House
During a Good Morning America interview on February 24, 2026, Quinn Hughes said he was “excited” to visit the White House and suggested the trip would be “special” for the men’s team.
“There’s a lot going on on social media right now surrounding our team and [the women’s team],” Quinn added later in the segment. “In the last couple summers, we did a lot of training with them and got to know [them] really well.”
Five Players from Team USA Men’s Hockey Skip a White House Meeting With Donald Trump
Ahead of the controversial White House meeting, it was reported that five players from Team USA men’s hockey — Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel — were skipping the Washington D.C. visit in order to return to their NHL teams.
Connor spoke to reporters about his choice to miss the State of the Union, insisting that he was “just getting ready to play on Wednesday” with the Jets against the Vancouver Canucks.
“We have a big second half [of the season] so I just wanted to make sure I was ready,” he said.
Donald Trump Shouts Out Both the Men and Women’s Hockey Teams in His State of the Union Speech
Donald Trump brought out the Team USA men’s hockey team during his State of the Union speech in Washington D.C. on February 24, 2026, to say that they’d made “the entire nation proud.”
Trump briefly acknowledged that the women’s team also won gold in Milan and Cortina, before suggesting they “will soon be coming to the White House.” He then turned back to the men’s squad to announce that he planned to give goalie Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“I did take a vote … every single one of them rapidly put up their hand up,” Trump told Hellebuyck. “What a special job you did, what special champions you are.”
Vincent Trocheck Condemns ‘Politicization’ of Team USA Hockey’s White House Visit
On the heels of Team USA Hockey’s men attending the State of the Union speech, center Vincent Trocheck told reporters it was “sad” that his team’s White House visit was “getting politicized the way it is.”
“We’re all very proud to be Americans, and we were all so proud to go [to the 2026 Winter Olympics] and win a gold medal,” he told reporters. “We went over there with a job, and it was to win gold and do it for our country and for everybody back here, and we were able to do that.”
The U.S. men’s Olympic ice hockey team with Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images
He went on, “It’s sad that it automatically gets turned into something political when all we really wanted to do was represent everybody in here and everybody in our country as well as we could.”
Trocheck revealed he’d never before visited White House or the U.S. Capitol, so he felt it was “such an honor to be able to go.”
Team USA’s Hilary Knight Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Distasteful’ Joke
Hilary Knight held nothing back during a press conference on February 25, 2026, as she condemned President Donald Trump making a joke at her team’s expense.
“We just thought the joke was distasteful and unfortunate,” Knight told reporters. “I think, just the way women are represented, it’s a great teaching point to really shine light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats. And now I sort of have to sit, or anybody has to sit in front of you and explain someone else’s behavior. It’s not my responsibility.”
Knight felt it was unfair to both the men and women’s teams to be bogged down in a political controversy in light of their success at the Milan and Cortina games.
“Whatever’s going on should never outshine or minimize their work and our success on the world stage,” she said. “This was the best American women’s hockey team we’ve ever put together on a world stage when the lights have been the brightest. I think everyone felt that going through that.”
She concluded, “I want to celebrate that [success]. I want people to be remembered for that. I want the legacy of this team to be remembered. That’s what I’m trying to shift the narrative on and really focusing [on] and championing what we’ve done and what we’ve accomplished the last two-and-a-half weeks together.”
Kelly Pannek Says Donald Trump’s Joke Was ‘Not Surprising’
Team USA’s Kelly Pannek spoke with reporters about her success in Milan and Cortina, in addition to the backlash over President Donald Trump’s joke.
“With the phone call specifically, it’s not surprising, to be frank,” Pannek said on February 25, 2026. “So I don’t know why we expect differently, but I think for us, it’s also just about getting back to the focus on our team and what our team accomplished.”
Hayley Scamurra Celebrates ‘Outpouring of Love’ From Fans
Team USA’s Hayley Scamurra briefly touched on President Donald Trump’s joke during a February 2026 appearance on the “Hockey Lifers” podcast, where she said she preferred to focus on the support her team received.
“I think, you know, the call was what it was,” Scamurra admitted. “And honestly, like, the outpouring of love and support we’ve kind of received since that has outweighed any other feelings that I have.”
Jack Hughes Addressed Laughing at Donald Trump’s Joke About the Women’s Team
Speaking to reporters on February 25, 2026, Jack Hughes tried to offer context on why he and some of his teammates laughed at President Donald Trump’s joke at the women’s expense.
“You’re in the moment, the president calls,” Hughes explained. “We’re blaring the music and then they pause the music and then the president calls. I don’t think … obviously, it is what it is now.”
He continued, “We have so much respect for the women’s team. They have so much respect for us. We’re all just proud Americans. We’re happy that we both swept the Olympics.”
Vice President JD Vance is giving Team USA some unsolicited advice as the athletes compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. “My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together, and when you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans,” Vance, 41, told CNN and other reporters on Wednesday, February 11. […]
Hughes asked the media to remember that he and his teammates “are just hockey players.”
“We did our job. We went over to the Olympics to win a gold medal and that’s what we did,” he said. “I’ve had the best time of my life celebrating with my teammates that we accomplished our goal. I’m a hockey player. We’re so proud to be back in the U.S. and celebrating our gold medal and to do it with our teammates, that’s the best part.”
Team USA’s Tage Thompson Defends Wearing a ‘MAGA’ Hat During White House Visit
Team USA men’s hockey star Tage Thompson faced renewed backlash during his White House visit with President Donald Trump by wearing a Make America Great Again hat for the occasion. He stood behind the divisive fashion choice while speaking to Outkick on February 25, 2026.
“I’m proud to be an American, and I have my own faith, my own beliefs, and everyone’s entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, as well,” he said. “I think we should be able to live in peace knowing that not everyone’s going to agree with you.”
Thompson insisted that his strong religious faith was at the center of his support of Trump and his MAGA movement.
“Jesus is everything to me,” Thompson said. “Obviously, we’re made imperfect. We’re all sinners, and we need him. And I fall short every single day, and he’s the one I rely on.”
He added, “I think when you have that sense of hope, the grace and the mercy that I receive every day from him is something that gives me peace and joy in life, no matter what I do. And he’s blessed me with this game and this opportunity to play the game I love at a high level, a beautiful family and friends, people [surrounding] me that I love. And I’m just very grateful.”
Jeremy Swayman Says Team USA Men Should Have ‘Reacted Differently’ to Donald Trump’s Joke
Team USA men’s player Jeremy Swayman acknowledged that his teammates should have “reacted differently” when Donald Trump made a joke about the women’s team.
“We know that we are so excited for the women’s team,” he told reporters. “We have so much respect for the women’s team. To share that gold medal with them is something we’re forever grateful for. … Now that we’re home, we get to share that together forever.”