U.S. men’s hockey stars Jack and Quinn Hughes have acknowledged what Jack called the “backlash” the team has faced surrounding their post-Olympic call with President Donald Trump.
On the call, which surfaced on social media after the men’s win over Canada in the gold-medal game, Trump invited the men’s team to the State of the Union and the White House, then said he was also “going to have to bring the women’s team,” saying if he didn’t, he’d “probably be impeached.”
The line was met with laughs by some of the U.S. men, who engaged in celebratory back-and-forth with Trump throughout the call.
“People are so negative out there and they are trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” Jack Hughes told reporters outside a Miami nightclub late Monday night. “I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them.”
On Feb. 19, the U.S. women completed a 7-0 run through the Olympic tournament with an overtime victory of their own against Canada. According to Hughes, after the U.S. men won gold Sunday, the two teams were “in the cafeteria at 3:30 in the morning,” celebrating.
Earlier on Monday, USA Hockey said the women’s team was “unable to participate” in attending the State of the Union, which takes place in Washington on Tuesday night, “due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.”
The Professional Women’s Hockey League, with 16 American players on the U.S. Olympic team spread across five of its eight rosters, resumes its season Thursday. The U.S. women’s Olympic roster also includes seven NCAA players, some of whom are scheduled to play on Friday.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” USA Hockey said in a statement to The Athletic. “They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
During an interview on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday alongside Jack, his brother Quinn Hughes, a U.S. defenseman, said they were “excited” to go to the State of the Union.
“It’s something you don’t get to do (every) Tuesday,” Quinn Hughes said. “It’s going to be special for us.” He added that they were “extremely happy” for the American women’s national team while alluding to “a lot going on social media surrounding our team and their team.”
Earlier in the interview, Jack Hughes brought up “headlines about us and the women’s hockey team, and the video,” and once again shared the postgame cafeteria anecdote.
On the U.S. men’s team’s call with Trump, which was taken in the dressing room by FBI director Kash Patel, players were also invited to the White House on Thursday, one day before the NHL resumes its regular season. Whether that event was scheduled is unknown, but NHL teams with American Olympians on the roster expected those players to travel to Washington for some amount of time before returning to their respective clubs.
Trump’s public schedule for Tuesday includes a 12:30 p.m. State of the Union luncheon. His schedule for Wednesday has not yet been released.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic on Monday that players can decide on an individual basis if they want to accept Trump’s invitation and that it’ll be up to their individual teams whether or not to grant permission.
In Miami, Jack Hughes said the team is “super excited to go to the White House.”
“Everything is so political, we’re athletes, we’re so proud to represent the U.S.,” he said. “And when you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the president … That’s so patriotic.”
