‘Big guys, huh?’: Trump hosts US Olympic hockey team ahead of State of the Union
This is performative politics again.
President Donald Trump hosted the U.S. men’s hockey team at the White House on Tuesday, just two days after they took home gold over Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The team plans to attend Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday night as special guests of the White House.
Trump’s team posted a video of the players, sporting navy USA Olympic sweaters and their gold medals, touring the White House colonnade, which the president refashioned into a new Presidential Walk of Fame last year.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” the team’s unofficial anthem, blasted from the Rose Garden speakers as players made the walk down toward the West Wing.
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Later, the president welcomed the team into the Oval Office, where Director of the Presidential Personnel Office Dan Scavino shared a clip of the visit.
“I recognize every one of you,” Trump stated before shaking hands with team captain Auston Matthews. “Big guys, huh?”
“Congratulations,” he added while embracing goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who saved 41 of Canada’s 42 shots during the gold medal game.
Happening Now—President Trump welcomes the @USAHockey team to the Oval Office here at the @WhiteHouse. Congratulations TEAM USA!!!!!
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) February 24, 2026
Winger Matthew Tkachuk, who had previously visited Trump at the White House as a member of the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, allowed the president to wear his gold medal briefly while posing for pictures.
“I’m not giving it back,” Trump joked, earning laughs from the team.
Matthew Tkachuk has @POTUS put on his gold medal!
“I’m not giving it back”
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) February 24, 2026
Despite securing America’s first men’s Olympic hockey gold since the 1980 historic “Miracle on Ice,” the men’s team sparked controversy Sunday afternoon after FBI Director Kash Patel was filmed celebrating with the team in the locker room.
‘THAT’S JUST KASH’: TRUMP’S FBI NOMINEE WON’T GIVE UP MEN’S LEAGUE HOCKEY IF CONFIRMED
Patel, a lifelong hockey fan, was forced to defend his actions despite assurances from FBI spokespeople that he had traveled to Milan, Italy, for official matters.
“I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys,” Patel wrote in a statement on X.
This is performative politics again.
President Donald Trump hosted the U.S. men’s hockey team at the White House on Tuesday, just two days after they took home gold over Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The team plans to attend Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday night as special guests of the White House.
Trump’s team posted a video of the players, sporting navy USA Olympic sweaters and their gold medals, touring the White House colonnade, which the president refashioned into a new Presidential Walk of Fame last year.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” the team’s unofficial anthem, blasted from the Rose Garden speakers as players made the walk down toward the West Wing.
View this post on Instagram
Later, the president welcomed the team into the Oval Office, where Director of the Presidential Personnel Office Dan Scavino shared a clip of the visit.
“I recognize every one of you,” Trump stated before shaking hands with team captain Auston Matthews. “Big guys, huh?”
“Congratulations,” he added while embracing goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who saved 41 of Canada’s 42 shots during the gold medal game.
Happening Now—President Trump welcomes the @USAHockey team to the Oval Office here at the @WhiteHouse. Congratulations TEAM USA!!!!!
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) February 24, 2026
Winger Matthew Tkachuk, who had previously visited Trump at the White House as a member of the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, allowed the president to wear his gold medal briefly while posing for pictures.
“I’m not giving it back,” Trump joked, earning laughs from the team.
Matthew Tkachuk has @POTUS put on his gold medal!
“I’m not giving it back”
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) February 24, 2026
Despite securing America’s first men’s Olympic hockey gold since the 1980 historic “Miracle on Ice,” the men’s team sparked controversy Sunday afternoon after FBI Director Kash Patel was filmed celebrating with the team in the locker room.
‘THAT’S JUST KASH’: TRUMP’S FBI NOMINEE WON’T GIVE UP MEN’S LEAGUE HOCKEY IF CONFIRMED
Patel, a lifelong hockey fan, was forced to defend his actions despite assurances from FBI spokespeople that he had traveled to Milan, Italy, for official matters.
“I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys,” Patel wrote in a statement on X.
‘Big guys, huh?’: Trump hosts US Olympic hockey team ahead of State of the Union
This is performative politics again.
President Donald Trump hosted the U.S. men’s hockey team at the White House on Tuesday, just two days after they took home gold over Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The team plans to attend Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday night as special guests of the White House.
Trump’s team posted a video of the players, sporting navy USA Olympic sweaters and their gold medals, touring the White House colonnade, which the president refashioned into a new Presidential Walk of Fame last year.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” the team’s unofficial anthem, blasted from the Rose Garden speakers as players made the walk down toward the West Wing.
View this post on Instagram
Later, the president welcomed the team into the Oval Office, where Director of the Presidential Personnel Office Dan Scavino shared a clip of the visit.
“I recognize every one of you,” Trump stated before shaking hands with team captain Auston Matthews. “Big guys, huh?”
“Congratulations,” he added while embracing goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who saved 41 of Canada’s 42 shots during the gold medal game.
Happening Now—President Trump welcomes the @USAHockey team to the Oval Office here at the @WhiteHouse. Congratulations TEAM USA!!!!!
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) February 24, 2026
Winger Matthew Tkachuk, who had previously visited Trump at the White House as a member of the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, allowed the president to wear his gold medal briefly while posing for pictures.
“I’m not giving it back,” Trump joked, earning laughs from the team.
Matthew Tkachuk has @POTUS put on his gold medal!
“I’m not giving it back”
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) February 24, 2026
Despite securing America’s first men’s Olympic hockey gold since the 1980 historic “Miracle on Ice,” the men’s team sparked controversy Sunday afternoon after FBI Director Kash Patel was filmed celebrating with the team in the locker room.
‘THAT’S JUST KASH’: TRUMP’S FBI NOMINEE WON’T GIVE UP MEN’S LEAGUE HOCKEY IF CONFIRMED
Patel, a lifelong hockey fan, was forced to defend his actions despite assurances from FBI spokespeople that he had traveled to Milan, Italy, for official matters.
“I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys,” Patel wrote in a statement on X.
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