Champions in US sports are often invited to the White House to celebrate. Team USA Women’s Hockey will not be taking the invitation, though. President Donald Trump officially asked them to come to the White House after their incredible gold medal run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the team is not going to attend.
Team USA Women turn down Donald Trump’s invite
In recent years, it’s no longer guaranteed that a champion in a US sport will go to the White House. It used to be standard fare, but as athletes and teams have become more outspoken politically, there’s always a chance the team will decline what was once a tremendous honor.
Team USA Women’s Hockey is the latest to do so. However, this absence may be more due to scheduling and logistics than an outright refusal over political allegiances. At least, that’s what the team intimated.
“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,” the women’s team said via ESPN. “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.”
Men’s team invited
Trump also invited the men’s team to come after their gold medal over Canada, the first gold in 46 years in men’s hockey. Both teams landed in Miami on Monday, and the State of the Union is on Tuesday. It makes it hard for either team to make it.
With the NHL season and PWHL having resumed, these players have their day jobs to return to. Auston Matthews, Megan Keller, Jack Hughes, Dylan Larkin, Jaccob Slavin, and Hilary Knight, among others, have to play for their teams and not their countries now.
This, of course, comes after the president went viral for a crude joke at the women’s team’s expense. He was recorded on a call with the men’s team saying, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that… (If I don’t invite the women,) I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
The women’s team did note that they only learned of the invitation on Sunday night, which made it basically impossible to alter their travel plans to allow for an appearance. This was after the viral call, though, which may have played a role. If nothing else, it’s a convenient excuse after the remarks.
Matthew Tkachuk shouts out Donald Trump after gold medal
While the women’s team is not attending, it’s unclear if Team USA men’s hockey will be at the White House. Even if they’re not, many members of the team have made it clear how they feel about the invitation and the win over Canada.
Much of the roster laughed along with Donald Trump when he made his women’s team joke and other statements while congratulating them on the overtime victory delivered by Jack Hughes’ impressive golden goal.
“It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been amazing,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “It’s a dream of ours; it was such an amazing way to unite the country. 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.”
He also said it was a big honor to hear directly from the president after the win. “And so we are definitely honored to represent him and the millions and millions across the country,” he added. Notably, Trump called Team USA before the 4 Nations Face-Off last year when USA fell to Canada.
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