The U.S. women’s national hockey team declined President Donald Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union after he openly complained about having to invite them.
“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," a USA Hockey spokesperson said, according to NBC News. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”
The president’s remark was captured during a celebratory call between Trump and the men’s gold‑medal winners, and was widely shared on social media.
In video footage of the call, shared by White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, Trump praised the team and invited them to his State of the Union address Tuesday, joking that he would need to bring in a military plane to get the players to Washington, D.C., on time.
Helping coordinate the logistics was FBI Director Kash Patel, who joined the team in their locker room celebrations and later assured Trump, “I got it, boss, I’m on it! I’m f---in’ on it!”
Trump also joked about the fact that he would have to invite the U.S. women’s hockey team, who won gold on Thursday, saying to the men’s team, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.”
“I think if I didn’t do that, I do believe I probably would be impeached,” he added.
Players could be seen and heard laughing in response, including Jack Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal for Team USA.
His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, serves as a player development consultant for the women’s team.
There is no indication that Trump has reached out to the women’s hockey team to invite them to the White House. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
It would not the first time Trump has declined to host solo White House celebrations for a women’s championship team.
Before 2019, not a single women’s championship team had made a solo visit to the White House under Trump, breaking with the tradition set by previous presidents.
The Minnesota Lynx, who won the WNBA title in 2017, and the Seattle Storm, champions in 2018, were not invited to the White House after their victories.
The Notre Dame women’s basketball team, which captured the NCAA championship in 2018, also did not receive an invitation.
The South Carolina women’s basketball team, which won the NCAA title in 2017, declined a White House reception.
In many cases, women’s teams were grouped into larger ceremonies for non-revenue sports rather than being honored as standalone champions.
It wasn’t until April 2019 that the Baylor Lady Bears became the first women’s championship team to make a solo White House visit under Trump following their NCAA title.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump congratulated the U.S. men’s hockey team on social media after their win over Canada. “Congratulations to our great U.S.A. Ice Hockey team. THEY WON THE GOLD. WOW!” he wrote, adding: “LOTS OF WINNING!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
However, there was no such message for the women’s team.
Meanwhile, Patel’s presence at this year’s Winter Olympic games is making waves.
Leaked footage shared online showed Patel drinking beer, being draped with a gold medal, and joining in the exuberant celebration after the U.S. won its first Olympic men’s hockey gold in 46 years—a moment that quickly went viral.
Critics on social media argued that the appearance of the nation’s top federal law enforcement official in a raucous sports locker room was inappropriate given simultaneous national security concerns, including an armed man driving into Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago, and other FBI responsibilities.
Patel defended his presence as an honor and said he was “extremely humbled” to celebrate with the athletes who invited him.
