Team USA’s Historic Hockey Double Gold Sparks Political Controversy

The United States made history by winning both men's and women's Olympic hockey gold medals for the first time, defeating Canada in overtime in both finals. However, the celebrations became politically charged when the men's team received a White House invitation and presidential call while the women's team was initially overlooked.

For the first time in Olympic history, the United States claimed both hockey gold medals at the Winter Olympics, with each team defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime while maintaining perfect tournament records.

The historic achievement quickly became entangled in political controversy:

— Women’s Hockey: The female athletes largely avoided political discussions. Most players said they didn’t even notice Vice President JD Vance and his security detail attending two early tournament games, where they sat across from the American bench. After Megan Keller scored the championship-winning goal, the team celebrated their third Olympic gold by draping themselves in American flags.

“We’re America’s team in the best way and through positivity and trying to inspire through sport,” captain Hilary Knight said. “And whatever political climate is going on, we’re just trying to have a positive impact through our play, and obviously show up and represent our country to the best of our ability, because we are proud Americans and there’s great unity that we can find through sport together.”

— Men’s Hockey: The celebration after Jack Hughes scored the winning goal was electric, with Hughes flashing a gap-toothed smile while teammates honored late player Johnny Gaudreau, who passed away in August 2024. FBI Director Kash Patel joined the team in their locker room, and they received a congratulatory phone call from President Donald Trump.

— Men’s Hockey: Trump extended an invitation for the team to attend his State of the Union address two days later, then mentioned he would need to invite the women’s team as well. He joked that failing to invite the women could lead to his impeachment, a remark that drew laughter from players but was widely viewed as inappropriate. Several players joined Trump at the White House on Tuesday and received recognition during his congressional speech.

— Women’s Hockey: The women’s team never received a presidential phone call and only learned about the White House invitation hours after the men’s championship game concluded. They respectfully declined, citing previously arranged travel plans. While Trump indicated the women would visit the White House eventually, no specific date has been set, and the team’s earliest availability would be after the PWHL season concludes in late May. Instead, most team members plan to attend a “She Got Game” event hosted by rapper Flavor Flav in Las Vegas this July.

— Women’s Hockey: Flying commercially on USA Hockey’s budget, the women faced travel delays when their planned route through New York was changed to Atlanta due to weather conditions. They were offered the opportunity to attend the State of the Union but chose to return home instead. Having spent an additional week in Milan due to their earlier tournament start, they were ready to resume the PWHL season, which restarted Thursday.

— Men’s Hockey: The male players traveled on a charter flight funded by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association, flying directly to Miami. The NHL season resumed Wednesday.

Throughout this week, several men’s team members have faced questions about their reaction to Trump’s controversial joke. Many explained they were caught up in the celebration’s excitement. Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman acknowledged they “should have reacted differently” to Trump’s comments.

“I just thought the joke was distasteful and unfortunate,” Knight said Wednesday

Despite the political complications, both teams developed strong bonds in the Olympic village and actively supported each other’s championship pursuits, something they’ve highlighted this week.

“We watched other events together,” said Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk. “We went and supported them. We loved the women’s team. The women’s team loved us and we’re so proud that we had a clean sweep of gold medals and just so much respect for them and the other athletes.”

As the controversy seemed to subside, a manipulated TikTok video appeared on the White House social media account showing U.S. player Brady Tkachuk seemingly making derogatory comments about Canadians. Brady Tkachuk, Matthew’s brother who plays for Ottawa in Canada’s capital, objected to the post, which included a disclaimer about AI-generated content.

“I’m not in control of any of those accounts,” he said. “I know that those words would never come out of my mouth.”

Brady Tkachuk also denied being the voice heard yelling “close the northern border” during Team USA’s call with Trump. The identity of that voice remains unknown.

— Men’s Hockey: Players have returned to NHL schedules and playoff competitions, often facing teammates they competed against in Milan. While Matthew Tkachuk brought his gold medal to practice, he kept a low profile to avoid offending his Canadian teammates.

— Women’s Hockey: The PWHL resumed play after a month-long Olympic hiatus, while seven U.S. college players prepare for conference playoffs. The PWHL is experiencing significant growth following the Olympics, marking the biggest boost since the league’s establishment three years ago.

League officials reported their largest in-season ticket sales days on February 24 and 25. February merchandise sales increased by 101% compared to the season’s first two months. The league’s 61 Olympic participants gained 760,000 additional social media followers collectively, and YouTube viewership jumped 200%.