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The U.S. men’s ice hockey team stopped to pose for photos with military personnel at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday ahead of their arrival at the White House and their expected attendance at the State of the Union address.
The players landed in Washington, DC, shortly after 1 p.m. ET, after celebrating their historic gold medal victory over Canada at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games in Miami the night before.
The U.S. men’s ice hockey team stops to take photos with members of the military, allowing them to pose with their gold medals, after arriving at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday. (Pak Gazette)
Several military members lined up to greet the US team, who were again seen with the American flag draped over their shoulders.
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The players then ran to greet them, stopping to hug them, shake their hands and take photos. Several of the players were seen handing out their gold medals to the service men and women to wear in photos before leaving to meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes made headlines by sharing a patriotic message after his overtime goal secured the gold medal for Team USA.
“This is all about our country right now. I love America. I love my teammates. It’s amazing. America is a hockey brotherhood. It’s very strong and we had a lot of support from former players. I’m very proud to be an American today,” a toothless Hughes told the NBC broadcast immediately after the game.
Gold medalists Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes of Team USA celebrate after the men’s gold medal match between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
NHL defenseman and Jack’s brother Quinn Hughes continued that sentiment during an interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico, which came as the team began its celebrations in Italy.
“It’s very special and I want to thank our troops for allowing us to play this game. Thank you to our troops for allowing us to play this game.”
Trump invited the men’s and women’s teams to the White House and extended an invitation to the State of the Union address, but the women’s team declined, citing scheduling conflicts.
President Donald Trump speaks with members of the United States men’s hockey team at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2026. (Dan Scavino via X)
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In a video of the president’s phone call with the men’s team immediately after his victory, Trump said he “would have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise he would “probably be impeached.” Players laughed in response to Trump’s joke, which sparked some reaction on social media.
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