The U.S. men's hockey team, fresh off their first gold medal since 1980, visited the White House on Tuesday to meet President Donald Trump ahead of his State of the Union address. Jack Hughes scored the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy. While most players attended, forward Jake Guentzel opted to rejoin the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The U.S. men's hockey team secured gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Jack Hughes netted the game-winning goal, marking the first such triumph for the Americans since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice." The women's team also won gold earlier that week, defeating Canada in overtime on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
Following the win, President Donald Trump called the locker room to congratulate the players. During the conversation, Trump joked, "We're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached," drawing laughs from the team. The comment sparked criticism, with some interpreting it as begrudging and the team's reaction as disrespectful to the women's achievement.
Quinn Hughes addressed the backlash on "Good Morning America," stating, "We're really happy for them," and noting the teams trained together in recent summers. Jack Hughes told the Daily Mail, "Everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them." Their mother, Ellen Hughes, emphasized unity on TODAY, saying, "These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country."
Trump invited both teams to the State of the Union on Tuesday evening. A USA Hockey spokesperson said the women's team was "sincerely grateful" but unable to attend due to "previously scheduled academic and professional commitments." Most men's players met Trump in the Oval Office after arriving in Washington, D.C., posing with their medals on the south lawn. However, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel skipped the event to prepare for his team's Wednesday game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with four other players also absent. The NHL resumes play post-Olympic break on Wednesday.
FBI Director Kash Patel faced scrutiny for joining the team's celebrations in Italy and Miami. The visit highlighted the teams' camaraderie, as Jack Hughes noted they celebrated together until 3:30 a.m. in Milan.
