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The US Olympic gold medal-winning men’s hockey team arrived at the White House for its meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as the players are also expected to attend Trump’s State of the Union address.
The team made history with its 2-1 overtime victory over Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in the gold medal game on Sunday. New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes scored the golden goal to give the USA its first gold medal in men’s hockey since the 1980 Miracle on Ice team.
Canada has historically been the most dominant Olympic hockey team in history, with nine gold medals, the best in the world. Sunday’s victory also avenged a loss to Canada in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off exhibition in early 2025, which came amid rising tensions between the two countries over Trump’s tariff policy.
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Trump called the players after Sunday’s victory, congratulating and thanking them during the locker room celebration.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s game. State of the Union that I would “have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise I would “probably be fired.” The players laughed in response to Trump’s joke.
Video of the exchange has since gone viral, with some women’s hockey fans criticizing Trump and the men’s players for making light of the women’s team’s gold medal victory, which also came against Canada. The women’s team has since declined Trump’s invitation to Washington, citing scheduling conflicts.
Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski talked about the origins of their American pride while celebrating their Olympic achievement.
President Donald Trump speaks with members of the United States men’s hockey team at the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on February 24, 2026. (Dan Scavino via X)
Larkin and Werenski appeared on Pak Gazette Channel. “Fox and friends” Tuesday morning, hours after celebrating their gold medal victory against Canada in Miami. The two talked about what it meant to them to represent the Stars and Stripes.
“I think a lot of us played in the U.S. 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 and they really instill some pride in you,” Larkin said. “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.
“So every time I get the opportunity to represent the United States of America, I put that jersey on, I’m all in. I love doing it, and it’s something special. I could talk all day about how great our country is. Just being home and seeing our friends and family, it’s just special.”
Werenski was asked if playing in other countries made him prouder to be an American.
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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, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
“I think you’re right. I remember my first World Championship with him was in Slovakia. I was in Denmark, I was in the (Czech Republic) – these are all great countries, and you play in them, and it’s a lot of fun. The Olympics were in Italy, which is an incredible country,” he said. “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.
“Like Dylan said, we learn about this from a young age. We’re allowed to live our dream because of the military: the people who serve, the first responders. It’s just an amazing country. It’s the best country in the world, and we love wearing these colors, and you definitely appreciate it when you go overseas and play.”
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