President Donald Trump celebrated the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team after their gold medal win over Canada, praising them during a phone call after the game. During the call, he joked that he would “have to invite” the women’s team too — adding that he might be “impeached” if he didn’t.
The comment came after the U.S. women’s team also won gold against Canada in overtime. Some people viewed Trump’s remark as humorous, while others found it disrespectful.
The women’s team later declined an invitation to attend the State of the Union, citing prior academic and professional commitments following the Olympics. In a statement, they expressed gratitude for the recognition but said they were unable to attend.
Their decision quickly sparked debate online. Supporters praised the team for standing by their principles, while critics argued they should have accepted what they called a rare presidential invitation.