Fresh off a dramatic 2-1 overtime win in the gold medal game over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the US women’s national hockey team is once again at the center of national conversation not for their play on ice, but for their decision off of it.
Team USA declined an invitation to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address following the Olympics. According to US hockey, the athletes cited previously scheduled academic commitments, including obligations to their collegiate teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which resumed play shortly after the games in Milan.
The decision followed a widely circulated locker room phone call between Trump and the US men’s hockey team after their gold medal victory. President Trump called into the locker room celebration through FBI Director Kash Patel. During the call, the president joked that he would “have to bring the women’s team” as well, adding that if he did not, he “probably would be impeached.”
“I think most people were honestly just surprised with the comments,” junior Matthew Corwin said. “It’s not something you expect to hear right after a gold medal win. I wouldn’t say people were overly judgmental, but it definitely caught my attention.”
The video of the moment quickly went viral, sparking controversy and debate on social media. Team captain Hillary Knight addressed the remark and appearance on SportsCenter, calling it a “distasteful joke,” but emphasizing that she did not want her comment to overshadow the country’s historic wins.
USA Hockey’s official statement, published on its website, reiterated that the team’s decision was based on scheduling errors rather than politics.
“Our athletes have returned to their respective academic institutions and professional teams,” the statement said. “We remain focused on continuing the growth of women’s hockey at every level.”
Sophomore Paige Levine respected the team’s choice.
“Women’s sports are often overlooked, and the situation felt unnecessary,” Levine said. “They worked countless hours for that medal, so if declining was how they chose to handle it, that’s respectable.”
Still, the timing of the decision has sparked national discussion about the relationship between sports and politics. White House visits have long been a tradition for championship teams across professional and collegiate sports. However, in recent years, several teams and athletes have chosen not to attend these events for a range of reasons.
“If I won a gold medal or a championship, I would go,” Corwin said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and regardless of politics, it’s still part of the honor that comes with winning at that level.”
The women’s hockey team has not had any additional public response after Knight’s interview and the USA Hockey statement. Several players declined further comments when asked by reporters.
As the PWHL season continues, the team appears focused on the ice. Their overtime win against Canada, sealed by a breakaway goal in the final minutes, marked another chapter in one of the most heated rivalries in women’s hockey history. For now, players say their priority remains their teammates and the continued rise of women’s hockey.
“Sports and politics should stay separate whenever possible,” junior Luke Notaro said. “Sports are supposed to bring people together, no matter what side you’re on. When politics gets involved, it can divide fans and take away from the actual game.”
While public debate continues, the team’s historic performance in Milan will not be negated for a program that continues to shape the future of the sport.
