Team USA men’s hockey star Jack Hughes responded to the intense backlash that his Olympic gold-winning team received after players were caught on video laughing at President Donald Trump dissing the U.S. women’s team.
A video revealed Trump congratulating the men’s ice hockey team over the phone and inviting them to the State of the Union Tuesday — before joking about having to invite the women’s team, which also won gold at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said, drawing roaring laughter from the men. The president then added that if he didn’t, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
Hughes, who had two teeth knocked out before scoring the gold-winning goal against Canada Sunday, told the Daily Mail that “everything is so political,” at a victory party Monday in Miami, Florida.
The women’s hockey team turned down Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union, citing time conflicts.
“They’ve got busy schedules, too,” Hughes said in defense of the women’s team before addressing the backlash the men’s hockey team has received, including calls for the team to reject the White House offer.
“People are so negative out there and they are just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” Hughes said.
Hughes, 24, who plays for the New Jersey Devils in the NHL, noted the men’s and women’s teams’ close relationship.
“People are so negative about things. I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us,” he said.
However, he didn’t apologize for the team’s planned visit with Trump.
“We’re athletes,” he told the Daily Mail. “We’re so proud to represent the U.S., and when you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the president, we’re proud to be Americans and that’s so patriotic.”
He added: “No matter what your views are, we’re super excited to go to the White House tomorrow and be a part of that.”
His mother, Ellen Hughes, who is a player development consultant for Team USA women’s ice hockey, also responded to the criticism. Her two other sons are also successful NHL players, with Luke Hughes on the New Jersey Devils alongside Jack, and Quinn Hughes playing for the Minnesota Wild.
Ellen Hughes told Today that “at the end of the day, it’s just about the country.”
“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she said. “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.”
She also noted the positive relationship between the men’s and women’s teams.
“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” she said.
She continued: “And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity and they care about the country.”
Team USA men’s hockey won 2-1 in overtime over Canada during the final game at the 2026 Winter Olympics Sunday, earning the gold medal for the U.S.
The team also made headlines Sunday after another widely shared video showed FBI Director Kash Patel chugging beer and partying alongside the players in the locker room after winning the gold medal.
