U.s. Men's Hockey Team Is Celebrating With Trump. The Women Aren't. What's Going On?

Both U.S. lucky teams won Olympic golden this past play astatine nan Milan-Cortina Games.

Both teams were invited to be President Trump’s State of nan Union address connected Tuesday nighttime successful Washington, D.C., to observe nan achievements.

Only 1 squad will attend. The different whitethorn extremity up celebrating pinch a hip-hop fable astatine immoderate constituent instead.

Here is what’s going on:

The United States women’s lucky squad trailed Canada 1-0 pinch a small much than 2 minutes near successful nan gold badge game connected Thursday. That’s erstwhile Hilary Knight deflected a Laila Edwards slap changeable past Canadian goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens to moreover nan people and yet nonstop nan crippled to overtime.

Megan Keller scored nan aureate extremity 4 minutes and 7 seconds into nan other period, lifting nan Americans to their 3rd golden badge successful nan arena aft accomplishing nan feat successful 1998 and 2018.

Three days later, nan United States and Canada faced disconnected successful nan men’s golden badge game. Like nan women’s final, this 1 besides ended regularisation pinch nan people tied 1-1.

And, besides for illustration nan women’s final, it ended pinch nan U.S. notching nan winning extremity early successful overtime. The partially toothless Jack Hughes, near unsocial connected nan near wing, hit Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington cleanly 1:41 into nan other play to group disconnected a chaotic ceremony for nan Americans.

It’s nan first golden for U.S. men’s lucky since 1980, and nan triumph came connected nan 46th day of nan team’s legendary “Miracle connected Ice” triumph against nan Soviet Union.

U.S. players Kendall Coyne, left, and Hilary Knight observe aft nan badge ceremonial Feb. 19 astatine nan Milan-Cortina Olympics.

(Hassan Ammar / Associated Press)

During nan men’s postgame locker room ceremony — which was attended by FBI head Kash Patel — President Donald Trump addressed nan squad by phone, offering his congratulations arsenic good arsenic an invitation to be his State of nan Union reside 2 days later. Several players seemed to cheer successful approval.

“I must show you, we’re gonna person to bring nan women’s team, you do cognize that,” Trump said during nan call, successful a remark that was met pinch large laughter successful nan locker room. By not inviting nan different American golden badge lucky team, nan president said, “I do judge I’d astir apt beryllium impeached.”

On Monday, nan U.S. women’s squad acknowledged it had been invited to nan State of nan Union reside but politely declined.

“We are sincerely grateful for nan invitation extended to our golden medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and profoundly admit nan nickname of their bonzer achievement,” nan squad said successful a statement. “Due to nan timing and antecedently scheduled world and master commitments pursuing nan Games, nan athletes are incapable to participate. They were honored to beryllium included and are grateful for nan acknowledgment.”

On Tuesday, members of nan men’s squad flew from Miami to Washington successful what appeared to beryllium a U.S. authorities level — based connected pictures posted connected societal media by guardant Matthew Tkachuk — and landed successful Maryland astatine Joint Base Andrews.

The contingent past visited nan president astatine nan White House up of his speech.

“I admit each 1 of you,” Trump said arsenic nan players entered nan Oval Office. “I cognize each 1 of you.”

Some players reportedly did not make nan trip, including guardant Jake Guentzel, halfway Brock Nelson and guardant Kyle Connor.

Meanwhile, Flavor Flav offered to big a typical arena for nan women’s lucky team.

“If nan USA Women’s Hockey squad wants a existent ceremony and induce ,,, I’ll big them successful Las Vegas,” Flav wrote Monday connected X. “Do immoderate bully dinners and shows and bully times. I’m judge I tin get a edifice and hose to thief maine retired present and observe these women for existent for real.”

The iconic Public Enemy rapper added: “But I gots to induce my Bobsled + Skeleton squad too.”

Flav was an charismatic sponsor of nan U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams astatine nan Milan-Cortina Games. He held a akin domiciled for U.S. Water Polo astatine nan 2024 Paris Olympics.

He indicated on X later Monday that a “formal invitation” had been sent to nan women’s lucky team. There’s nary connection yet connected whether nan squad has accepted nan offer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.