Jake Guentzel: Team USA's White House Visit, Locker-Room Call and Military Photo Moment Draw Scrutiny

The U. S. men’s hockey team landed in Washington, D. C., just after 1 p. m. ET and stopped at Joint Base Andrews to pose for photos with military personnel before a scheduled White House meeting and an expected appearance at the State of the Union; jake guentzel is unclear in the provided context. The team’s on-ice victory and the subsequent phone call with President Donald Trump have become the focus of public reaction because of how the players responded.

Joint Base Andrews moment with military

After returning from celebrations the previous night, the players paused at Joint Base Andrews and lined up to greet several members of the military. Team members draped the American flag over their shoulders, exchanged hugs and handshakes, and stopped for photos. Several players allowed servicemen and women to wear their gold medals for pictures before the team departed for the White House and an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump's locker-room call and the backlash

A video surfaced of a locker-room conversation in which President Donald Trump told the men's team, "We're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached. " Players laughed in response. That cadence and the players' reaction prompted criticism from some observers, who interpreted the comment as a grudging invitation and found the men's response disrespectful to the women's team, which also won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Quinn Hughes on support for the women's team

Quinn Hughes addressed the controversy in an interview on Good Morning America, saying the men's team was "really happy" for the women and emphasizing ties built through recent joint training sessions. He noted there was a lot of conversation on social media surrounding both teams and pointed out that members of the men's and women's squads had trained together in prior summers and developed personal relationships with many of the women.

Jack Hughes' game-winner, patriotism and reaction

Jack Hughes scored an overtime goal that secured a 2-1 victory over Canada in the gold-medal game at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, a match documented as taking place on Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan. In the immediate postgame NBC broadcast, Jack Hughes offered a patriotic message: "This is all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates... I'm so proud to be American today. " He later told other outlets the men's team was proud of the women's accomplishments and that the group was excited and proud to meet the President, calling the opportunity "so patriotic. "

Jake Guentzel's presence unclear

It is unclear in the provided context whether jake guentzel was part of the locker-room call, the Joint Base Andrews greeting, or the White House visit. The available information names Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes among those involved, but does not mention Jake Guentzel directly.

Women's team invitations and scheduling conflicts

President Trump extended invitations to both the men's and women's gold-medal teams for White House events and the State of the Union. The women's team declined the White House visit, citing schedule conflicts, and a spokesperson for the women's team said the group was "sincerely grateful" for the State of the Union invitation but could not attend because of "previously scheduled academic and professional commitments. " The sequencing of invites and refusals contributed to public discussion about parity between the teams.

FBI director Kash Patel's travel to Italy

FBI director Kash Patel drew criticism for traveling to Italy and celebrating with the men's team after the gold-medal victory; Patel was the individual who placed the locker-room call to President Trump after the win. That trip and his role in initiating the president's call were singled out in the broader scrutiny that followed.

What makes this notable is how a sequence of moments — an overtime goal in Milan, a locker-room phone call, a stop at Joint Base Andrews and a planned Oval Office meeting — combined to produce both celebratory images and political backlash. Paulina Dedaj is a Sports Editor.