President Donald Trump hosted the USA Men’s Olympic Hockey Team at the White House on Tuesday after their overtime win for the ages against Canada in the gold medal game on Sunday.
Trump greeted members of the team next to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, hours ahead of his prime time State of the Union address to the country.
“Look at these guys, I recognize every one of you,” Trump said as they made their way into the famed office.
Matthew Tkachuk, who has now visited the Trump White House three times in two years after back-to-back Stanley Cup victories with the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025, allowed the president to wear his gold medal.
“I’m not giving it back,” Trump joked.
Tkachuk jested, “I’ll trade you that for a pen.”
Special assistant to the president Margo Martin shared a video of the team inspecting the “Presidential Walk of Fame” along the West Wing colonnade. The team also posed for a photo on the South Lawn.
Trump called the team as they celebrated in Milan, Italy, on Sunday.
“The players just had the President on, I don’t know what it was, what do you call it, FaceTime, whatever, in the locker room,” Coach Mike Sullivan said, according to USA Today. “He just spoke to the group, expressing how proud he was of the group and congratulating everybody on the win.”
Winning the medal game “was an inspiration to our country,” he continued. “I can’t tell you how many texts I’ve received over the last day or so about watch parties at 8 o’clock in the morning. I think from a viewership standpoint, the United States, there were a lot of people paying attention, the President included.”
Trump invited them to the State of the Union, as Breitbart News’s Olivia Rondeau noted:
The president went on to extend an invitation to have the team at his State of the Union address on Tuesday, to which a chorus of players immediately answered, “We’re in!”
One player asked if they could have help getting to Washington, DC.
“We’ll get Kash or we’ll get the military to get you guys over,” Trump replied, garnering more cheers from the athletes.
The State of the Union is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
