Members of Team USA's women's hockey team say they don't want their Olympic gold medal achievement to be overshadowed by the backlash over President Donald Trump's joke about having to invite them to the White House during a call to the men's team.
Trump called the men's hockey team, still celebrating in the locker room after its own 2-1 gold medal win against Canada on Sunday, and invited the men to Tuesday's State of the Union address.
But his joke during the phone call about also having to invite the women and the subsequent laughter from the men, which was captured on video and circulated widely on social media, set off a firestorm of criticism, with many expressing frustration that the joke diminished the women's achievement.
Women's team captain Hilary Knight said Wednesday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that she found the joke “distasteful” but that she also felt the men’s team was “in a tough spot.”
“I think this is just a really good learning point to really focus on, you know, how we talk about women,” Knight said. “Not only in sport, but in industry. Women aren’t less than, and our achievements shouldn’t be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are.”
She added that she felt the men’s and women’s teams had developed a good relationship at the Olympic Village. Knight said she doesn’t want what she described as a “quick lapse” to overshadow the gold medal wins.
Speaking at a news conference hosted by her PWHL team, the Seattle Torrent, Knight said Wednesday that "it's not my responsibility" to explain others' behavior.
"These women are amazing," she said, signaling toward fellow Team USA and Seattle Torrent teammates Alex Carpenter, Cayla Barnes and Hannah Bilka, who were seated alongside her.
"And whatever's going on should never outshine or minimize their work and our success on the world stage," Knight continued. "This was the best American women's hockey team — the best American team — we've ever put together on a world stage."
With the women's team's victory, Knight became the most decorated American hockey player. She now has two gold medals and three silvers, and she set the all-time Olympic scoring record in U.S. women’s hockey history at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
Team USA's Kelly Pannek, a forward for the PWHL's Minnesota Frost, told reporters that she felt support and respect from the men's team throughout the Games. She described the experience as a special one and said it was great that both teams won gold.
"With the phone call specifically, it's not surprising, to be frank," Pannek said. "So I don't know why we expect differently, but I think for us, it's also just about getting back to the focus on our team and what our team accomplished."
Montréal Victoire forward Hayley Scamurra, who was also on the gold medal team, was asked about the joke Tuesday on "The Hockey Lifers" podcast.
“I think, you know, the call was what it was,” she said. “And honestly, like, the outpouring of love and support we’ve kind of received since that has outweighed any other feelings that I have.”
Scamurra said she wanted to focus on the positives, such as how dominant the women's team was at the Olympics — not only did the U.S. women win gold, but they did it by setting a record streak of holding their opponents scoreless for 331 minutes and 23 seconds at the Games.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the statements from members of the U.S. women’s team.
The majority of the U.S. men attended the State of the Union on Tuesday night, but the women's team declined the invitation, citing other professional and academic obligations. Trump has said he looks forward to being able to host the women soon.
Critics of the men's team have said the men shouldn’t have laughed at Trump's joke or that perhaps they should have said something in the women's defense or apologized afterward.
“It is never just locker room talk,” a user wrote on X. “I’m angry. What a disappointment to have something so joyous tarnished by a dreadful reality where women are being belittled & disrespected for existing. The US Women’s Hockey Team deserves way better.”
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes told reporters that he believes the U.S. women know how much the men support them despite the backlash. He scored the game-winning goal against Canada on Sunday, and his brother Quinn Hughes scored an overtime goal against Sweden to win the quarterfinals.
Their mother, Ellen Hughes, is a former Team USA hockey player who is now a consultant to the women's team.
Jack Hughes said on NBC's "TODAY" show that had there been a video of him and his brother during the women's gold medal game, they would have looked like "the biggest superfans of all time."
On Wednesday, goaltender Jeremy Swayman told reporters that the men's team "should have reacted differently" after Trump's postgame joke.
"We know that we are so excited for the women's team, we have so much respect for the women's team, and to share that gold medal with them is something that we're forever grateful for," he said.
