US women's hockey gold medalist Hilary Knight brushes off men's reaction to Trump remark

Hilary Knight made her stance wide connected President Donald Trump's quip astir the United States women's crystal hockey squad that won Olympic golden past week.

While connected the telephone with the men's squad aft they won gold, Trump said helium would "have" to invitation the women’s team, which besides bushed Canada to triumph the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union — otherwise, helium "probably would beryllium impeached."

Knight, the women's skipper and all-time starring goalscorer and points leader, said connected Wednesday's variation of ESPN's "SportsCenter" that Trump's "distasteful joke" has "overshadow[ed]" the women's success.

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

"I thought it was benignant of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately, that is overshadowing a batch of the success, the occurrence of conscionable women astatine the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having astonishing golden medal feats," Knight said.

"We're conscionable focusing connected celebrating the women successful our room, the bonzer efforts, and proceed to observe 3 golden medals successful programme past arsenic good arsenic the treble golden for some men's and women's astatine the aforesaid time. And truly not detract from that with a distasteful joke."

Knight besides gave the men’s squad the payment of the uncertainty for appearing to laughter astatine Trump’s comments.

Team USA hockey golden medalists Quinn Hughes, right, his member Jack Hughes, left, and their teammates are recognized by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union code successful the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol connected Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"I deliberation there's a genuine level of enactment determination and respect," she said. "I deliberation that's being overshadowed by a speedy lapse. I deliberation the guys were successful a pugnacious spot, truthful I deliberation it's a shame this storyline and communicative has benignant of blown up and overshadowing that transportation and genuine involvement successful 1 different and cheering each different on."

Jeremy Swayman, the men's team's backup goaltender, admitted the squad "should person reacted differently" to Trump's comments. But he, and Jack and Quinn Hughes, each spoke highly of the women's squad and their relationships with them.

"We cognize that we are truthful excited for the women’s team. We person truthful overmuch respect for the women’s team. To stock that golden medal with them is thing we’re everlastingly grateful for," Swayman said.

Jack Hughes told reporters aft the crippled that the archetypal happening helium thought astir erstwhile the puck went successful was Megan Keller, who scored the aureate extremity for the United States women's squad against Canada 3 days earlier.

The brothers’ mother, Ellen, a erstwhile Team USA subordinate and existent subordinate improvement unit member, said the players lone cared astir "bring[ing] truthful overmuch unity to a radical and to a country."

United States' Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates aft defeating Canada successful the men's crystal hockey golden medal crippled astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.  (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Knight scored the tying extremity precocious successful the 3rd play to unit overtime, which led to Keller’s aureate extremity that gave the women’s squad their 3rd Olympic gold.

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