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Team USA Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes has spoken out about his support for his country’s women’s hockey team after his team came under backlash for laughing at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s team.
During an interview on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, Hughes spoke about his respect for the women’s team after McAfee appeared to reference the controversy by joking that Hughes and her teammates “hate” the players.
“We spent a lot of time with them, the women’s team. We were rooting for them. We were at their games, they were at our games,” Hughes said.
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Jack Hughes of the United States celebrates after winning a gold medal against Canada at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on February 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Hughes then appeared to address recent criticism of his team for their response to Trump’s joke.
“Like all these people talking, how many of them watched the gold medal game? Quinn Hughes and I were at the game. We were at the game until overtime ended on the glass, and we were jumping around so excited for these girls, so excited for them to win,” Hughes said.
“And how many of these people watched the gold medal game, watched their semifinal game? Like 10 out of 10 of our players went to their game in the round-robin. We were very supportive of them and we’re so proud of them. We’re so happy that they won, and they brought a gold medal back and, you know, I said it, both the men’s and women’s teams brought back gold medals. So, just amazing for USA Hockey.”
Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Canada to win gold, reflected on her interaction with the US women’s team player who did the same, Megan Keller.
“She and I had a great time in the cafeteria after their gold medal game. We played Slovakia the next night, and it was like a late game. And we were in the pasta line, Megan and I. They were getting ready to go out again, and I gave her a big hug and said, ‘I’m so happy for you. I’m so proud of you,'” Hughes said.
“A couple of nights later, I saw her again in the [cafeteria]”And we took a great photo and she just gave me a big hug and was really excited for me too.”
Hughes told reporters after the game that the first thing he thought about when the puck went in was Keller, who scored the golden goal for the U.S. women’s team against Canada three days earlier.
US WOMEN’S HOCKEY GOLD MEDALIST SAYS IT’S ‘SAD’ THAT THE MEN’S TEAM HAD TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES CONTROVERSY
The controversy surrounding the men’s team arose from a locker room phone call between the players and Trump just after winning the gold medal over Canada.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s game. State of the Union He said he “would have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise he would “probably be charged.” The team laughed in response, prompting an immense reaction.
Several major media outlets wrote op-eds condemning the men’s team for laughing at the joke and then visiting the White House to celebrate Trump’s State of the Union address.
Jack Hughes (86) of the United States, who scored the winning goal in overtime, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight said on Wednesday’s edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that Trump’s “disgusting joke” has “overshadowed[ed]”The success of women.
“I thought it was kind of a nasty joke and, unfortunately, that’s overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of women in the Olympics wearing Team USA and accomplishing incredible feats with gold medals,” Knight said.
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“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continuing to celebrate three gold medals in the history of the program, as well as double gold for both men and women at the same time. And really not downplaying that with a nasty joke.”
Hughes’ mother, Elena, former Team USA player and current member of the player development staff, said the players only cared about “bringing[ing] so much unity to a group and a country.”
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