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The “Secretary of Defense” nickname appears to stick for Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck after he was spotted wearing a sweet badge while flying to Washington DC to meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office ahead of his State of the Union address.
Hellebuyck and many of his American teammates took an Air Force plane to the nation’s capital to visit the White House, and Dylan Larkin shared a photo of the goalie holding a light blue badge with a bald eagle and “Secretary of Defense” written across the top.
Hellebuyck was all smiles and had his Olympic gold medal in front of him.
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Connor Hellebuyck of Team USA saves the shot made by Devon Toews #7 of Team Canada in the third period during the men’s gold medal match between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
After the nickname began circulating on social media following his incredible 41-save performance Sunday in a 2-1 overtime win against Team Canada, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth loved it.
“We now have a Secretary of War… and a Secretary of Defense!” Hegseth said of the post showing Hellebuyck’s now-iconic stick save on Devon Toews’ shot in the third period that would have broken a 1-1 tie at the time.
Hegseth held the title of Secretary of Defense before the agency became known as the War Department last September. The DOW Rapid Response X page saw Larkin’s post on its Instagram story and sent it to the masses as well.
“THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE!” the post said.
Hegseth was one of many to show American pride as the United States defeated Canada, which failed to capitalize on some top-notch opportunities against Hellebuyck, including assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon missing an open net in the third period.
“It’s a dream come true,” Hellebuyck said, via NBC, after the game. “We worked hard, we fought and this was some of the best and most fun hockey I’ve ever played.”
Hellebuyck helped the United States make history as the first team since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” to win Olympic gold. Jack Hughes scored the overtime goal to take gold in Milan, and it’s been a party for Team USA ever since.
Connor Hellebuyck of Team USA celebrates a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the men’s gold medal match between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
It was the same result the US women’s hockey team had just days before Hughes’ goal, when Megan Keller scored the game-winning goal against Team Canada in overtime to also win gold. The women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation to his State of the Union address on Tuesday, citing scheduling conflicts due to “academic and professional commitments.”
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s State of the Union that he “would have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise he would “probably be impeached.”
While the men’s hockey team was heard laughing at Trump’s joke, the exchange of phone calls has gone viral, with some criticizing Trump and the team for joking about the women’s achievements.
Members of the men’s hockey team attended the women’s gold medal victory, including Hughes, who after her own heroics said she thought about Keller’s goal immediately afterward while celebrating with her teammates.
American pride was also on full display in Milan, with Hellebuyck skating alone on the ice with an American flag on his back, as the crowd roared in approval.
Larkin and Zach Werenski also appeared on Pak Gazette Channel’s “Fox & Friends” Tuesday morning, hours after the team’s celebration in Miami at the E11EVEN MIAMI nightclub, where they talked about representing the country in the Olympics.
Connor Hellebuyck of the United States celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Stadium on February 22, 2026. (David W. Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images)
“I think a lot of us played in the US National Team Development Program… When we were there, you could put on the jersey every day for two years, before you were drafted. We went through training. We’re not military by any means, but they train us a little bit and it really instills some pride in you,” Larkin explained. “Once you go through that, you take your shirt off… and every time you take it off, at least for me, I don’t know when I’m going to put it on next.”
Werenski added: “When you come back here, you remember how great the United States of America is. And we love representing our country, we love wearing those colors.”
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