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Team USA's men's hockey team is facing criticism on social media after several players were seen laughing during a phone call from former President Donald Trump following their Olympic gold medal win over Canada.
The Americans secured a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory at the Winter Olympics - their first men's hockey gold medal since 1980 - thanks to Jack Hughes' decisive "golden goal." The celebration inside the locker room was loud and emotional when Trump called to congratulate the team.
During the call, Trump invited the men's team to attend his upcoming State of the Union address, saying, "I can send a military plane or something. If you would like to, it's the coolest night." He added, "The nice thing about being president is you don't have to worry about the weather or landing... we don't care if it's snowing, if it's the worst blizzard."
He then joked about also inviting the women's team, who had won their own Olympic gold medal days earlier.
"And I must tell you, we are going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that, I do believe I would probably be impeached!
The comment drew laughter from many players in the room - a reaction that quickly ignited controversy online.
Social nedia divided over reaction about Trump's joke
Some fans accused the men's team of belittling the women's achievement by laughing at what they described as a "misogynistic" joke.
Lexi LaFleur Brown, wife of former NHL player JT Brown, wrote on social media:
You can make history, can represent ur country at the highest level, can inspire a nation of girls to dream, & they will still laugh in ur face. Keep laughing while women's hockey is one of the fastest-growing sports globally.
Other fans were even harsher. "Not a single silent person when he made that women joke," one user posted. Another wrote, "Olympic gold medalists being reduced to the punchline of a joke."
Critics also pointed out that Ellen Weinberg-Hughes - mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes - served as a player development consultant for the U.S. women's team that won gold, making the moment feel especially uncomfortable to some viewers.
However, others defended the players. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy dismissed the outrage, posting: "Anybody who is mad about this video has a dump in their pants. Talking to the President after winning Gold is as American as Apple Pie."
Team USA coach Mike Sullivan later described the call as celebratory and patriotic. "He just spoke to the group expressing how proud he was of the group and congratulating everybody on the win," Sullivan said. "Obviously this game in a lot of ways was an inspiration to our country."
Captain Auston Matthews also emphasized unity over politics. "We're all proud Americans," he said. "This is a huge moment for us. A huge moment for the United States. He called, just congratulated us."
While the team's historic victory ended a 46-year drought, the locker room reaction has sparked a broader conversation about sports, politics, and respect for women's athletics in America.