Us Mens Hockey Controversy Deepens as U.S. Women's Gold Team Declines State of the Union Invite
The U. S. women's Olympic hockey team has declined President Donald Trump's invitation to attend the State of the Union, a decision that has intensified the broader public debate identified as the us mens hockey controversy. The team said timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games made participation impossible, and the development matters now because travel and league calendars have left little runway for a last-minute appearance.
Us Mens Hockey Controversy: President Donald Trump's Call
President Donald Trump invited the U. S. men's gold medal-winning team to the State of the Union in a phone call late Sunday after their overtime victory over Canada. During that call he added, "I must tell you, we're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that, " and joked that if he did not invite the women's team, "I do believe I probably would be impeached. " The women's team declined the invitation one day after that call.
USA Hockey Statement and Team Commitments
USA Hockey released a statement expressing gratitude for the recognition of the gold medal-winning U. S. Women's Hockey Team and noting that "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. " The organization said the athletes were honored to be included and were grateful for the acknowledgment. Monica Alba, a White House correspondent, and Megan Lebowitz, a politics reporter, covered the developments surrounding the decision.
Miami Arrivals and Travel Logistics
Both the U. S. men's and women's hockey teams arrived in Miami on Monday, but their travel arrangements differed and affected availability. The men's team flew by charter to Miami earlier Monday; many women were not scheduled to arrive in North America until Monday evening and traveled on a commercial flight that was due to land in Atlanta. Women's players did not learn of the invitation until late Sunday night, making it difficult to change travel plans; that timing directly contributed to the team's inability to accept.
Tournament Results in Milan and Medal Details
The Olympic tournament produced two overtime finals in Milan: the American women beat Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on Feb. 19, 2026, at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, and the U. S. men defeated Canada on Sunday in a similar overtime finish. A caption from the medal ceremony identifies the venue and date of the women's final. One report noted that Team USA's men's gold was the first since 1980, framing the scale of the achievement on the men's side.
Scheduling Pressure: NHL, PWHL and Follow-up Offers
Scheduling pressures added to the decision. The NHL season resumes with five games on Wednesday and the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) returns on Thursday, compressing the window for any public appearances. Because league play and personal commitments were imminent, the team cited those concrete conflicts as the reason for declining the invitation. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the teams' attendance.
Flavor Flav's Las Vegas Invitation and Public Reaction
In the aftermath, hip-hop artist Flavor Flav—Williams Jonathan Drayton Jr. —offered the women's team an alternative celebration in Las Vegas. He shared a formal invitation sent to USA Hockey and his representatives emailed: "First, massive congratulations on the gold!!" The message said Flavor Flav had posted an invite on social media and that, if the team were interested, his team would "figure it out on our end and make it a lovely experience. " That outreach came after coverage of the men's White House invite and what one email called the "not quite invite" for the women.
Matthew Tkachuk, a member of the men's team, described the return to Miami as "a whirlwind" and said the team felt national support the moment "the wheels hit the ground, " adding that it was an honor to hear from the president. Vice President JD Vance attended two of the U. S. women's preliminary-round wins with his family during the first week of the Games.
The timing matters because many athletes were still in transit and professional schedules resumed almost immediately, leaving little practical ability to rearrange commitments; as a result, logistical constraints translated directly into a public refusal of the invitation. The broader implication is that split travel plans and packed league calendars can shape which moments of recognition athletes can accept, even after an Olympic gold medal.
