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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley spoke about the frantic reactions to President Donald Trump’s invitation of the US men’s hockey team to the White House.
Trump spoke to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address, adding that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”
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Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump’s critics took the prank as an opportunity for the women’s team, prompting questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective teams.
“I’m proud of the men of America. I’m proud of the women of America. You should have invited them both to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, man, why do they have to mess it up? Not everything is Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we have this divided, fucked-up country. Stop it, man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re dumb. They can’t think for themselves. I know everyone says things to provoke them. Everyone says things and they know they’re going to be dumb.”
Barkley lamented that the average person would be upset by the supposed controversy.
Team USA poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)
“We don’t have to fall into stupidity. But we do, that’s my point. These people here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. It’s that simple. The guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”
The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made it clear that he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I was invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy; I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if the guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a topic of conversation. It doesn’t have to be anti-American.
Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team USA after scoring the winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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“I just wish they would stop falling into stupidity.”
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