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Team USA’s Olympic gold medal-winning men’s hockey team arrived at the White House for their meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as the players are also expected to attend Trump’s State of the Union address.
The team made history with its 2-1 overtime win over Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in the gold medal game on Sunday. New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes hit the golden goal to give the United States its first men’s hockey gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice team.
Canada has historically been the most dominant Olympic hockey team in history with a world-best nine gold medals. Sunday’s win also avenged a loss to Canada in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off exhibition in early 2025, which came amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Trump’s tariff policy.
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Trump called the players after Sunday’s win and congratulated and thanked them during the locker room celebration.
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.” The players laughed in response to Trump’s joke.
Video of the exchange has since gone viral, with some women’s hockey fans criticizing Trump and the men’s players for calling attention to the women’s team’s gold medal win, which also came against Canada. The women’s team has since declined Trump’s invitation to Washington, citing scheduling conflicts.
Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski opened up about where their American pride came from as they celebrated their Olympic achievement.
President Donald Trump speaks with members of the United States men’s hockey team at the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on February 24, 2026. (Dan Scavino via X)
Larkin and Werenski appeared on Pakinomist Channel’s “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday morning, hours after celebrating their gold medal win against Canada in Miami. The two opened up about what it meant to them to represent the Stars and Stripes.
“I think a lot of us played in the U.S. National Team Development Program… When we were there, you get to put the jersey on every day for two years before you get drafted. We go through training. We’re not military by any means, but they put us through some training and they really instill some pride in you,” Larkin said. “Once you go through that, you take the jersey off … and every time you take it off, at least for me, I don’t know the next time I’m going to put it on.
“So every time I get a chance to represent the United States, I put that jersey on, I’m all in. I love doing it and it’s just special. I could go on all day about how great our country is. Just being home and seeing our friends and family, it’s just special.”
Werenski was asked if playing in other countries made him more proud to be an American.
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USA’s Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
“I think you’re absolutely top notch. I remember my first World Cup with him was in Slovakia. I’ve been to Denmark, I’ve been to the Czech Republic (Republic) – they’re all great countries and you play in them and it’s a lot of fun. The Olympics were in Italy were in Italy, which is an incredible country,” he said. “You’re reminded of how great America is when you come back here. And we love representing our country, we love wearing those colors.
“Like Dylan said, we learn about it from a young age. We get to live our dream because of the military — the people who serve, the first responders. It’s just an incredible country. It’s the best country in the world and we love wearing those colors and you definitely get an appreciation for that when you go overseas and play.”
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