The majority of the U.S. men’s ice hockey team has attended the White House and the State of the Union address, where the U.S. President reflects on the past year and announces future policy.
The U.S. women’s ice hockey team declined an invitation to attend.
It comes after U.S. President Donald Trump made a joke to the men’s team about needing to invite the women’s team to the White House.
Both teams won gold at the recent Winter Olympics.
Here’s the context.
Background
Both U.S. teams defeated Canada in overtime to win gold at the Winter Olympics. The women secured their title first, before the men claimed their first Olympic gold since 1980.
After the men’s victory on Sunday, FBI Director Kash Patel joined the team in their locker room, putting them on a call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Video posted to social media shows Trump inviting the men’s team to the White House, adding: "I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team."
The players in the room laughed at this comment, with Trump also saying: "I do believe I probably would be impeached if they were not invited.”
State of the Union
Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams officially received invitations to Trump’s State of the Union address, delivered on Tuesday (local time).
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The women’s hockey team declined the invitation, with a spokesperson saying:
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation… [however] due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.
“They were honoured to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment”.
As for the men’s team, 20 of the 25 players toured the White House on Tuesday afternoon and attended the State of the Union address in the evening.
Some of the players who did not attend had returned to their club teams to prepare for the National Hockey League restarting on Wednesday.
During the address, Trump introduced the team to the audience, and said he would award goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest honour a U.S. civilian can receive.
During the final, Hellebuyck blocked 41 shots on goal.
Response
In response to questions about the video, Jack Hughes, who scored the winning goal, said to reporters on Monday: “I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support [the women’s team], how proud we are of them.”
His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, a former national team player and current women’s staff member, told NBC the focus should remain on unity.
“At the end of the day it’s just about the country… these players, both the men and the women, can bring so much unity,” she said.
During the address, Trump said the U.S. women’s team would “soon be coming to the White House.”
