{"id":225775,"date":"2026-03-01T06:39:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T06:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/01\/everything-team-usas-men-and-womens-hockey-teams-said-about-trump-drama\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T06:39:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T06:39:31","slug":"everything-team-usas-men-and-womens-hockey-teams-said-about-trump-drama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/01\/everything-team-usas-men-and-womens-hockey-teams-said-about-trump-drama\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything Team USA\u2019s Men and Women\u2019s Hockey Teams Said About Trump Drama"},"content":{"rendered":"


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President Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s joke at the expense<\/a> of Team USA\u2019s women\u2019s hockey team has divided the sports world following the 2026 Winter Olympic Games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The controversy started after Team USA\u2019s men and women\u2019s hockey squads both won gold at the Milan and Cortina games. On February 22, 2026, President Trump called the men\u2019s team in their locker room as they celebrated their overtime victory against Team Canada in the gold medal game. (Trump\u2019s FBI director, Kash Patel<\/strong>, was partying with the men\u2019s team in their locker room during the call.)<\/p>\n

After inviting the men\u2019s hockey team to his State of the Union address in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, February 24, Trump quipped: \u201cWe have medals for you guys. I must tell you, we\u2018re going to have to bring the women\u2019s team. [If I don\u2019t invite them,] I do believe I probably would be impeached.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several members of the men\u2019s team could be heard laughing at Trump\u2019s joke. USA Hockey subsequently announced that the women\u2019s team would not make a White House visit or attend the State of the Union speech \u201cdue to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Dave Portnoy Says Only Psychopaths Are Upset at Trump’s USA Hockey Comment<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tDave Portnoy is weighing in on the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump\u2019s alleged \u201cjoke\u201d about the USA women\u2019s hockey team after both the men and women took home 2026 Winter Olympics gold against the Canadians. \u201cPeople are mad, they\u2019re going nuts. \u2018How could the [USA men\u2019s] hockey team laugh, why are they talking to the [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

One week after the initial snub, Team USA men and women\u2019s hockey stars both appeared on Saturday Night Live<\/em> with Heated Rivalry<\/em> actor Connor Storrie<\/strong> to poke fun at the drama.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for more about what both the men and women\u2019s hockey teams have said about the controversy.\n<\/p>\n

Jack Hughes Gives a Patriotic Speech After Men\u2019s Gold Medal Win<\/h2>\n

Team USA center Jack Hughes<\/strong> scored the gold medal-winning goal in the men\u2019s hockey finals against Team Canada on February 22, 2026 \u2014 a feat made all the more impressive since he\u2019d lost multiple teeth after being cracked with a high stick by Canada\u2019s Sam Bennett<\/strong> in the third period.<\/p>\n

In a postgame interview, Hughes told NBC Sports\u2019 Kathryn Tappen<\/strong> that his team\u2019s Olympics success made him feel \u201cproud to be an American.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is all about our country right now,\u201d Hughes said following Team USA\u2019s win. \u201cI love the USA. I love my teammates. It\u2019s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong. We had so much support from ex-players. I\u2019m so proud to be an American today.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the locker room, the men\u2019s team spoke with President Donald Trump. The president joked that he was \u201dgoing to have to bring the women\u2019s team,\u201d along with the men, for a White House visit or else he \u201cprobably would be impeached.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team USA Women\u2019s Hockey Players Decline to Attend State of the Union Speech<\/h2>\n

In light of President Donald Trump\u2019s joke, USA Hockey confirmed on February 23 that the women\u2019s team would skip a White House visit and declined an offer to attend the State of the Union speech in Washington D.C.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal\u2013winning U.S. Women\u2019s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,\u201d USA Hockey told NBC News<\/a>. \u201cThey were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Associated Press<\/em> <\/a>reported that the quick turnaround of Trump\u2019s invitation for the team to travel to Washington D.C. would have caused logistical problems for the women.<\/p>\n

Jack Hughes Tries to Downplay Women\u2019s Team Skipping White House Visit<\/h2>\n

Team USA\u2019s Jack Hughes seemingly tried to downplay the political implications of the female players turning down President Donald Trump\u2019s offer to visit the White House and attend his State of the Union Speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got busy schedules too,\u201d Hughes told the Daily Mail<\/em><\/a> on February 23, 2026. \u201cEveryone is giving us backlash for all the social media stuff today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hughes suggested that critics were putting a damper on both the men and women\u2019s hockey teams\u2019 success at Milan and Cortina.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople 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,\u201d Hughes complained. \u201c\u200b\u200bPeople are so negative about things. I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support [the women\u2019s team], how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack Hughes\u2019 Mother Weighs In on Controversy Over Donald Trump\u2019s Remarks<\/h2>\n

On February 24, Ellen Hughes<\/strong> \u2014 the mother of Team USA men\u2019s standouts Jack and Quinn Hughes<\/strong> and a consultant for USA Hockey \u2014 defended her sons\u2019 decision to party with FBI director Kash Patel and meet with President Donald Trump at the White House.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think at the end of the day, it\u2019s 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,\u201d Ellen told Today<\/em>. \u201cPeople that cheered on that don\u2019t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side. And that\u2019s all both the men\u2019s team and the women\u2019s team care about.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes of Team United States.<\/span> Bruce Bennett\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ellen argued that her sons and their teammates\u2019 decision to visit the White House and attend the State of the Union speech was not inherently political.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf 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,\u201d she insisted. \u201cThat\u2019s what it\u2019s all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellen went on, \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quinn and Jack Hughes Express Excitement Over Visiting the White House<\/h2>\n

During a Good Morning America<\/em> interview on February 24, 2026, Quinn Hughes said he was \u201cexcited\u201d to visit the White House and suggested the trip would be \u201cspecial\u201d for the men\u2019s team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot going on on social media right now surrounding our team and [the women\u2019s team],\u201d Quinn added later in the segment. \u201cIn the last couple summers, we did a lot of training with them and got to know [them] really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five Players from Team USA Men\u2019s Hockey Skip a White House Meeting With Donald Trump<\/h2>\n

Ahead of the controversial White House meeting, it was reported that five players from Team USA men\u2019s hockey \u2014 Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor<\/strong>, Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger<\/strong>, Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson<\/strong>, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe<\/strong> and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel<\/strong> \u2014 were skipping the Washington D.C. visit<\/a> in order to return to their NHL teams.<\/p>\n

Connor spoke to reporters about his choice to miss the State of the Union, insisting that he was \u201cjust getting ready to play on Wednesday\u201d with the Jets against the Vancouver Canucks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a big second half [of the season] so I just wanted to make sure I was ready,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Donald Trump Shouts Out Both the Men and Women\u2019s Hockey Teams in His State of the Union Speech<\/h2>\n

Donald Trump brought out the Team USA men\u2019s hockey team during his State of the Union speech in Washington D.C. on February 24, 2026, to say that they\u2019d made \u201cthe entire nation proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump briefly acknowledged that the women\u2019s team also won gold in Milan and Cortina, before suggesting they \u201cwill soon be coming to the White House.\u201d He then turned back to the men\u2019s squad to announce that he planned to give goalie Connor Hellebuyck<\/strong> the Presidential Medal of Freedom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did take a vote \u2026 every single one of them rapidly put up their hand up,\u201d Trump told Hellebuyck. \u201cWhat a special job you did, what special champions you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vincent Trocheck Condemns \u2018Politicization\u2019 of Team USA Hockey\u2019s White House Visit<\/h2>\n

On the heels of Team USA Hockey\u2019s men attending the State of the Union speech, center Vincent Trocheck<\/strong> told reporters it was \u201csad\u201d that his team\u2019s White House visit was \u201cgetting politicized the way it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all very proud to be Americans, and we were all so proud to go [to the 2026 Winter Olympics] and win a gold medal,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n The U.S. men\u2019s Olympic ice hockey team with Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes attend President Donald Trump\u2019s State of the Union address.<\/span> Kenny Holston-Pool\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He went on, \u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trocheck revealed he\u2019d never before visited White House or the U.S. Capitol, so he felt it was \u201csuch an honor to be able to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team USA\u2019s Hilary Knight Slams Donald Trump\u2019s \u2018Distasteful\u2019 Joke<\/h2>\n

Hilary Knight<\/strong> held nothing back during a press conference on February 25, 2026, as she condemned President Donald Trump making a joke at her team\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just thought the joke was distasteful and unfortunate,\u201d Knight told reporters<\/a>. \u201cI think, just the way women are represented, it\u2019s 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\u2019s behavior. It\u2019s not my responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knight felt it was unfair to both the men and women\u2019s teams to be bogged down in a political controversy in light of their success at the Milan and Cortina games.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever\u2019s going on should never outshine or minimize their work and our success on the world stage,\u201d she said. \u201cThis was the best American women\u2019s hockey team we\u2019ve ever put together on a world stage when the lights have been the brightest. I think everyone felt that going through that.\u201d<\/p>\n

She concluded, \u201cI want to celebrate that [success]. I want people to be remembered for that. I want the legacy of this team to be remembered. That\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to shift the narrative on and really focusing [on] and championing what we\u2019ve done and what we\u2019ve accomplished the last two-and-a-half weeks together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelly Pannek Says Donald Trump\u2019s Joke Was \u2018Not Surprising\u2019<\/h2>\n

Team USA\u2019s Kelly Pannek<\/strong> spoke with reporters<\/a> about her success in Milan and Cortina, in addition to the backlash over President Donald Trump\u2019s joke.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the phone call specifically, it\u2019s not surprising, to be frank,\u201d Pannek said on February 25, 2026. \u201cSo I don\u2019t know why we expect differently, but I think for us, it\u2019s also just about getting back to the focus on our team and what our team accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayley Scamurra Celebrates \u2018Outpouring of Love\u2019 From Fans<\/h2>\n

Team USA\u2019s Hayley Scamurra<\/strong> briefly touched on President Donald Trump\u2019s joke during a February 2026 appearance on the \u201cHockey Lifers\u201d podcast<\/a>, where she said she preferred to focus on the support her team received.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, you know, the call was what it was,\u201d Scamurra admitted. \u201cAnd honestly, like, the outpouring of love and support we\u2019ve kind of received since that has outweighed any other feelings that I have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack Hughes Addressed Laughing at Donald Trump\u2019s Joke About the Women\u2019s Team<\/h2>\n

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\u2019s joke at the women\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in the moment, the president calls,\u201d Hughes explained. \u201cWe\u2019re blaring the music and then they pause the music and then the president calls. I don\u2019t think \u2026 obviously, it is what it is now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cWe have so much respect for the women\u2019s team. They have so much respect for us. We\u2019re all just proud Americans. We\u2019re happy that we both swept the Olympics.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>JD Vance Warns Team USA Not to ‘Pop Off About Politics’ at Winter Olympics<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tVice President JD Vance is giving Team USA some unsolicited advice as the athletes compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. \u201cMy advice to them would be to try to bring the country together, and when you\u2019re representing the country, you\u2019re representing Democrats and Republicans,\u201d Vance, 41, told CNN and other reporters on Wednesday, February 11. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hughes asked the media to remember that he and his teammates \u201care just hockey players.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did our job. We went over to the Olympics to win a gold medal and that\u2019s what we did,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve had the best time of my life celebrating with my teammates that we accomplished our goal. I\u2019m a hockey player. We\u2019re so proud to be back in the U.S. and celebrating our gold medal and to do it with our teammates, that\u2019s the best part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team USA\u2019s Tage Thompson Defends Wearing a \u2018MAGA\u2019 Hat During White House Visit<\/h2>\n

Team USA men\u2019s hockey star Tage Thompson<\/strong> 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<\/em><\/a> on February 25, 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud to be an American, and I have my own faith, my own beliefs, and everyone\u2019s entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, as well,\u201d he said. \u201cI think we should be able to live in peace knowing that not everyone\u2019s going to agree with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thompson insisted that his strong religious faith was at the center of his support of Trump and his MAGA movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cJesus is everything to me,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cObviously, we\u2019re made imperfect. We\u2019re all sinners, and we need him. And I fall short every single day, and he\u2019s the one I rely on.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cI 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\u2019s 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\u2019m just very grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeremy Swayman Says Team USA Men Should Have \u2018Reacted Differently\u2019 to Donald Trump\u2019s Joke<\/h2>\n

Team USA men\u2019s player Jeremy Swayman<\/strong> acknowledged that his teammates should have \u201creacted differently\u201d when Donald Trump made a joke about the women\u2019s team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that we are so excited for the women\u2019s team,\u201d he told reporters<\/a>. \u201cWe have so much respect for the women\u2019s team. To share that gold medal with them is something we\u2019re forever grateful for. \u2026 Now that we\u2019re home, we get to share that together forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team USA Men and Women\u2019s Stars Poke Fun at Trump Drama on \u2018Saturday Night Live\u2019<\/h2>\n

Team USA women\u2019s players Hilary Knight and Megan Keller<\/strong> reunited with men\u2019s stars<\/a>\u00a0Jack and Quinn Hughes on Saturday Night Live<\/em> on February 28, 2026, to address their controversy with President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

The Hughes brothers popped up during Heated Rivalry<\/em> star Connor Storrie\u2019s monologue to admit that they\u2019d yet to see his sexy hockey-themed series because they were busy training for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.<\/p>\n

The USA Hockey women\u2019s players soon joined the men on stage, with Knight joking: \u201cIt was going to be just [me and Megan] but we thought we\u2019d invite the guys too!\u201d<\/p>\n

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