Us Mens Hockey Controversy: Trump phone call, State of the Union invites and Team USA reactions
Washington — The unfolding us mens hockey controversy began after a video of President Trump congratulating the U. S. men’s hockey team and joking about inviting the women’s gold-medal squad circulated, and the women’s team later declined an invitation to the State of the Union. The sequence has drawn public comment from family members and players while logistical and scheduling details shaped the teams’ responses.
Women’s team declines State of the Union invite and cites timing
The U. S. women’s hockey gold medal–winning team politely declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend his State of the Union address Tuesday. A USA Hockey spokesperson said Feb. 23, "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. Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment. "
Logistics contributed to the decision: many of the women players were not scheduled to arrive in North America until Monday evening, and the squad took a commercial flight scheduled to land in Atlanta. Each U. S. hockey team arrived in Miami on Monday, but the men had flown by charter to Miami earlier Monday. the women’s players did not learn of the invite until late Sunday night, which made it difficult to change travel plans. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of both teams.
Us Mens Hockey Controversy centers on Trump’s call and joke
The controversy traces to a phone call in which the president congratulated the men’s team and, when extending the invitation to the men on Sunday night, said, "I must tell you, we're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that. " He added as a joke that if he did not also invite the women’s team, "I do believe I probably would be impeached. " The video of that call circulated on Feb. 22 and prompted reactions from people connected to both teams.
Ellen Hughes, mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes and a player development consultant for Team USA women’s ice hockey, addressed the video on TODAY on Feb. 24. She said, "at the end of the day, it's just about the country, " and emphasized unity: "These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country. " She described the "synergy" between the squads and said, "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 — that's what it's all about. "
Hughes family comments and appearances after the call
On Feb. 24, Ellen Hughes appeared on TODAY and was joined shortly afterward by her sons Jack and Quinn Hughes, who appeared on TODAY video call and spoke about the relationship between the men’s and women’s teams. Ellen praised both squads' achievements: "It couldn't have gone better, " and said, "Both teams going undefeated. We couldn't have written a better story, " adding that the teams brought the country together and allowed "everybody [to] cheer in the same direction. " She also said it "still seems surreal" and that she could not be prouder of both teams, recalling that when she watched the women win gold in overtime she was "the most nervous I've ever been in my life. "
Game results, milestones and commentary from Matthew Tkachuk
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics produced two medal finals that both ended in overtime. The American women beat Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on Thursday, and the U. S. men beat Canada on Sunday. Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in the men's gold medal matchup against Canada, giving the United States its first gold medal in men's hockey since 1980. Ellen Hughes highlighted the rarity and emotional weight of the dual victories, calling the back-to-back overtime wins "special moments for a bunch of amazing women and a bunch of amazing men. " She said winning gold twice "just says so much for USA hockey and where our sport is in this great country. "
Matthew Tkachuk, arriving in Miami, reflected on the return and the win: "It's been a whirlwind, it's been amazing, " and called the victory "a dream of ours; it was such an amazing way to unite the country. " He said, "We felt the support being across the Atlantic, and now being back on home soil we could feel it the second the wheels hit the ground. So excited to be back in the greatest country in the world and so excited to celebrate. " Tkachuk added that it was an honor to hear from Trump after the win and said, "And so we are definitely honored to represent him and the millions and millions across the country. " Vice President JD Vance attended two of the U. S. women's preliminary-round wins with his family over the first week of the Games.
Media segments and wrap-up
A 1: 00 segment featured Michael Wilbon detailing Team USA's overtime win over Canada to claim gold. The sequence of the presidential call, the women’s team’s Feb. 23 statement declining the State of the Union invite, Ellen Hughes’s comments on Feb. 24, and the teams’ staggered travel and arrivals has left scheduling and logistics central to the public conversation around the teams' return and appearances.
