Us Mens Hockey Controversy: Hughes Family, Trump Call and Olympic Aftermath
The us mens hockey controversy centers on a viral locker-room call between President Donald Trump and the U. S. men’s Olympic hockey team, and the reaction from players, their family and Team USA after both the men’s and women’s squads won gold at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Us Mens Hockey Controversy over the locker-room call
Video that surfaced on social media shows the men’s team speaking to President Trump in the locker room after their gold-medal win over Canada, with Trump saying, "we're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that" and adding, "I do believe I probably would be impeached. " The comment drew laughs from players in the dressing room and prompted criticism of both the president and the men’s team following the 2-1 victory over Canada in the gold-medal game.
Hughes family and Team USA reactions
Ellen Hughes, mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes and a player development consultant for Team USA women’s ice hockey, spoke about the video on TODAY on Feb. 24 and emphasized unity: "at the end of the day, it's just about the country. " Ellen said the men and women bring people together and described the "synergy" she sees with the teams sharing dorm rooms, halls and cheering for one another. She also noted both teams went undefeated at the Games and called the outcome something "we couldn't have written a better story. " Ellen, who represented Team USA at the 1992 Women's World Championship, added, "It still seems surreal" and said she "couldn't be prouder. "
What Jack and Quinn Hughes said in public appearances
Jack and Quinn Hughes addressed the backlash in separate appearances. Jack labeled the criticism the "backlash" and told reporters outside a Miami nightclub late Monday night that "people are so negative out there" and that "everyone in that locker room knows how much we support" the women’s team. Quinn said on Good Morning America that the brothers were "excited" to go to the State of the Union, calling it "something you don't get to do (every) Tuesday" and adding they were "extremely happy" for the American women amid "a lot going on social media surrounding our team and their team. " Jack also defended the women's squad as "proud" of their accomplishment and said, "We're so proud to represent the US and when you get the chance to go to White House and meet the President, we're proud to be Americans and that's so patriotic. "
Gold medals in Milan Cortina and key moments
Both U. S. hockey teams won gold medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The women completed a 7-0 run through the tournament and beat Canada in overtime, a finish Ellen described as the most nerve-wracking moment of her life. Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in the men's gold-medal matchup against Canada, handing the United States its first Olympic men’s hockey gold since 1980; the men finished their run with a 2-1 win over Canada.
Invitations, declines and scheduling around the State of the Union
On Feb. 23 a USA Hockey spokesperson said the women's team was "sincerely grateful for the invitation" to the State of the Union but was "unable to participate" because of "the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments" following the Games, and that the athletes "were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment. " The call invited the men to the State of the Union and to the White House; players were also invited to the White House on Thursday, one day before the NHL resumes its regular season, though whether that event was formally scheduled is unclear. The president's public schedule for Tuesday includes a 12: 30 p. m. State of the Union luncheon; his schedule for Wednesday has not yet been released.
Other reactions, travel and open items
FBI director Kash Patel was the person who placed the locker-room call to Trump and later came under fire for flying to Italy and partying with the men's team after the win. After the men’s victory, players were reported to have been celebrating in the cafeteria at 3: 30 in the morning. The Professional Women's Hockey League, which counts 16 American Olympic players across five of its eight rosters, resumes its season Thursday, and the U. S. women's Olympic roster also includes seven NCAA players, some scheduled to play on Friday. A remark attributed to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly about individual player decisions is incomplete and unclear in the provided context, as is a final line from a TODAY segment in which Jack and Quinn Hughes appeared video call shortly after their mother on Feb. 24; those passages end mid-sentence in the available material and are unclear in the provided context.
What happens next is grounded in the schedule the teams and leagues have posted: the Professional Women's Hockey League resumes Thursday, some NCAA players from the U. S. Olympic roster are set to play on Friday, and the president's State of the Union events include a 12: 30 p. m. luncheon on Tuesday, with his Wednesday schedule not yet released.
