NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
After President Donald Trump called the men’s Olympic hockey team to congratulate them on their gold medal, he drew criticism for what some viewed as disrespect for the women’s team that suffered the same fate.
Three days before Jack Hughes’ golden goal, Megan Keller did the same against Canada in the women’s gold medal contest.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s State of the Union that he would “have to” invite the women’s team or “I would probably be impeached.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Gold medalists Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes of Team United celebrate after the men’s gold medal match between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Hughes’ mother, Ellen, a player development consultant for Team USA women’s ice hockey, was not bothered by Trump’s comments.
“These players, both men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she told “TODAY.” “People who were cheering don’t watch hockey, people who have politics on one side or the other, and that’s all the men’s team and the women’s team care about.”
“If you could see what we see from the inside and the men and women sharing, you know, dorms and halls and flexible 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 continued. “And the other things they can’t control. They care about humanity. They care about unity and they care about the country.”
Team USA’s Megan Keller (5) warms up prior to the women’s preliminary round Group A match between the United States and the Czech Republic on day one of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milan Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 5, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Hughes’ brother, Quinn, who scored an injury-time goal against Sweden last week, said it was “fantastic to spend some time” with the women’s team in the Olympic village.
“And then of course see them, me and Jack were there, we saw them win the gold medal. They came to our game and were able to see us,” he said. “So just the support back and forth, just to get to know them a little bit better was also special.”
The women’s team declined an invitation to Washington, DC, citing schedules. Several members of the men’s team will be in attendance after partying in Miami on Monday.
Brady Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes attend a celebration of the USA men’s hockey team’s Olympic gold medal at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
The NHL season resumes on Wednesday.
Related article
