U.S. WOMEN’S HOCKEY STAR HILARY KNIGHT CALLS TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE

U.S. WOMEN’S HOCKEY STAR HILARY KNIGHT CALLS TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE VISIT QUIP A ‘DISTASTEFUL JOKE’
Knight says president’s remark overshadowing women’s historic Olympic success Milan/Washington 26 Feb 2026 Hilary Knight, captain of the U.S. women’s Olympic ice hockey team, has publicly labeled a joking remark from former President Donald J. Trump about inviting her squad to the White House as a “distasteful joke,” saying it has detracted from the team’s historic achievements at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The comment occurred during a phone call from Trump to the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team after their gold-medal win, where he congratulated them and added with a laugh that he would “have to bring the women’s team too, or he’d probably be impeached.”
Video of the exchange showed several men’s team players laughing, a moment that quickly went viral and drew widespread attention. The U.S. women’s team declined an invitation to the State of the Union address due to prior scheduling commitments, though Trump later said they would be invited to the Oval Office “soon.” During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” Knight said:
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately that is overshadowing a lot of the success … of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA.She emphasized the team’s focus on celebrating their achievements including their third Olympic gold medal and the rare double gold success for both U.S. men’s and women’s teams instead of the controversy.
Knight defended the respect between the women’s and men’s teams, calling the laughter a “quick lapse” that shouldn’t define their relationship. Knight, one of the most accomplished U.S. hockey players in history, helped lead the women’s team to Olympic gold in Milan-Cortina and set or tie U.S. Olympic scoring records during the tournament. The dual gold-medal victories for both the U.S. men’s and women’s teams marked a historic moment for American hockey. Members of the men’s team, including goalie Jeremy Swayman and captain Jack Hughes, acknowledged the unintended impact of the laughter in the video and expressed support for the women’s accomplishments.
Other players and observers said the controversy reveals ongoing conversations about how women’s sport is discussed and recognized. Knight framed the moment as a “learning point” about how women in sport and beyond are talked about and celebrated, and reiterated that their achievements should stand on their own merit. Hilary Knight’s criticism of President Trump’s White House quip underscores tensions over how women athletes’ success is acknowledged in the aftermath of the 2026 Winter Olympics. While controversy swirled over the remark and ensuing reactions, Knight stressed unity within U.S. hockey and a desire to keep the focus on the women’s remarkable Olympic performance rather than political flaps.