U.S. Women’s Hockey Captain Hilary Knight Called Trump’s Joke ‘Distasteful’ and Redirected Focus to Olympic Gold
Olympic gold medalist and U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight appeared on SportsCenter on Wednesday to address a widely circulated comment made by President Donald Trump about the U.S. women’s hockey team during the Milan Olympics. She called it a “distasteful joke” and steered the conversation back to the women who earned gold.
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said.
What Trump Said in the Men’s Locker Room
The comment came during the U.S. men’s team locker room celebration in Milan, when Trump extended an invitation for the players to attend the State of the Union address in Washington. He added, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” and, laughing, said that if he did not also invite the women’s team, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
Video of several men’s players appearing to laugh at Trump’s comment went viral and drew criticism. The narrative shifted — away from the women’s gold medal performance, away from their place in Olympic history, and toward a controversy they did not create.
A Third Gold Medal in Program History
What should have dominated the headlines: the U.S. women’s hockey team won its third Olympic gold medal since women’s hockey was added in 1998. The team also helped achieve a milestone, double gold for both the men’s and women’s programs at the same time.
Knight made clear she wasn’t going to let that be forgotten.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time,” Knight said. “And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”
The Women’s Team Declined the State of the Union Invitation
In the days that followed, the men’s team attended the State of the Union address. The women’s team declined an invitation, citing logistics and scheduling concerns.
The contrast between the two teams’ responses was unavoidable. The women chose to chart their own path in the aftermath of a situation that had already consumed too much oxygen.
Knight Acknowledged the Bond Between the Teams
Even while addressing a situation that could easily breed division, Knight was gracious toward her male counterparts. She acknowledged the genuine relationship between the men’s and women’s teams while naming the problem clearly.
“I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect,” she said. “I think that’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse. I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on.”
How the Men’s Team Responded
Several members of the men’s team publicly addressed the fallout.
Jack Hughes, who scored the men’s gold medal game winner, and his brother Quinn spoke during an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday. Hughes described the closeness between the two teams during the Olympics.
“Our relationship with them, over the course of being in the Olympic Village, I think we are so tight with their group,” Hughes said, per ESPN. “After we won the gold medal, we were in the cafeteria at 3:30 a.m. in the morning with them. We go from there, pack our bags and we’re on the bus.”
“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,” he added. “The same way we feel about them, they feel about us.”
Hughes later said the moment did not reflect the views of the men’s team. “You’re in the moment and the president calls. We’re blaring the music. It is what it is,” Hughes said Wednesday night after his first game back with the New Jersey Devils. “We have so much respect for the women’s team and they have so much respect for us. We are all just proud Americans.”
Goaltender Jeremy Swayman told reporters in Boston after returning to practice with the Bruins that the men “should have reacted differently” to Trump’s remarks.
“To share that gold medal with them is something that we’re forever grateful for,” Swayman said. “And now that we’re home we get to share that together forever and see the incredible support we have from the USA and share this incredible gold medal.”
Knight’s Focus: Celebrating What Matters
The most telling moment in Knight’s public response came when she looked past the controversy entirely and spoke about what she wanted to carry forward from Milan.
Knight said she was looking forward to “celebrating all great things that have come out of the Olympics and feeling the love and support and getting back in our respective communities and sharing this journey with them. And that’s what this is all about.”
For Knight, and for the women who stood with her on the Olympic podium, this was about the game, the gold and the community waiting to celebrate with them.
The controversy will fade. Three Olympic gold medals in program history will not.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
