Trump says US women's hockey team will 'soon' visit White House after declining SOTU invitation

President Donald Trump said during his State of the Union code that the gold-medal-winning United States women’s crystal hockey squad volition "soon" caput to the White House to observe their triumph successful Milan. 

"They bushed a fantastic Canadian squad successful overtime arsenic everybody saw, arsenic did the American women who volition soon beryllium coming to the White House," Trump said arsenic the men’s hockey squad was being saluted by everyone wrong the House enclosure during the State of the Union address. 

It’s chartless if the women’s hockey squad accepted an invitation to the White House.

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Gold medalist Team United States airs aft the medal ceremonial for the Ice Hockey Women pursuing the Women's Gold Medal lucifer betwixt the United States and Canada connected time 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 19, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

USA Hockey and the White House person not instantly responded to a petition for remark by Fox News Digital. 

The women’s squad declined Trump’s invitation to be his State of the Union code connected Tuesday nighttime successful Washington, D.C., citing "previously scheduled world and nonrecreational commitments."

"We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our golden medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and profoundly admit the designation of their bonzer achievement," USA Hockey told NBC News. "Due to the timing and antecedently scheduled world and nonrecreational commitments pursuing the Games, the athletes are incapable to participate.

"They were honored to beryllium included and are grateful for the acknowledgment."

Trump received disapproval for what immoderate viewed arsenic disrespect toward the women’s squad portion connected a telephone telephone with the men’s squad aft their overtime triumph implicit Canada connected Sunday. While Jack Hughes rapidly became an American leader with his gold-medal-winning goal, Megan Keller did the aforesaid happening successful overtime 3 days earlier his to decision Canada successful their matchup.

During the viral clip of Trump’s telephone telephone to the men’s team, helium said that helium would "have" to invitation the women’s squad to the State of the Union, too, otherwise, "I astir apt would beryllium impeached."

While contention stirred connected societal media astir the moment, Hughes’ mother, Ellen Hughes, who serves arsenic a subordinate improvement advisor for Team USA women’s crystal hockey, explained she was not bothered by Trump’s comments. 

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union code successful the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol successful Washington, D.C., U.S., February 24, 2026. (REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)

"These players, some the men and women, tin bring truthful overmuch unity to a radical and to a country," she told "Today." "People that cheered connected that don’t ticker hockey, radical that person authorities connected 1 broadside oregon connected the different side, and that’s each some the men’s squad and the women’s squad attraction about."

"If you could spot what we spot from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the mode the women cheered connected the men and the mode the men cheered connected the women — that’s what it’s each about," she continued. "And the different things they cannot control. They attraction astir humanity. They attraction astir unity, and they attraction astir the country."

And portion immoderate were displeased by the men’s squad laughing astatine Trump’s gag connected the call, Quinn Hughes, the member of Jack and leader successful the quarterfinal overtime triumph with his extremity implicit Sweden, explained however "amazing" it was to walk clip with the women’s squad passim the weeks successful Milan. 

They were successful attendance, arsenic good arsenic different men’s hockey players, to ticker arsenic the women’s squad took location gold. 

United States' Grace Zumwinkle, left, and Taylor Heise observe aft triumph ceremonial for women's crystal hockey astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics, successful Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.  (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

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"Me and Jack were there, we watched them triumph the golden medal," Quinn said. "They came to our crippled and were capable to ticker us. So, conscionable the enactment backmost and forth, conscionable to get to cognize them a small amended was special, too."

During Trump’s address, helium besides announced that men’s hockey goalie Connor Hellebuyck, whose 41-save show was needed to unit overtime to let Hughes his aureate opportunity, would person the Medal of Freedom – the U.S. civilian grant – for his efforts successful the game. Trump said helium consulted with the squad during their clip successful the Oval Office earlier connected Tuesday. 

Fox News' Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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