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Hilary Knight made her stance clear on President Donald Trump’s rants about the U.S. women’s ice hockey team that won Olympic gold last week.
Speaking by phone with the men’s team after they won gold, Trump said he would “have to” invite the women’s team, which also beat Canada to win the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union — or he would “probably be impeached.”
Knight, the women’s captain and all-time leading scorer and points leader, said on Wednesday’s edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that Trump’s “tasteless joke” has “overshadowed”[ed]”women’s success.
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Team USA gold medalist Hilary Knight celebrates after the women’s ice hockey medal ceremony following the women’s gold medal game between the United States and Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
“I thought it was kind of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately it overshadows a lot of the success, the success of only women in the Olympics wearing for Team USA and having amazing gold medal performances,” Knight said.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary effort, and continuing to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men and women at the same time. And we really don’t detract from that with a bad joke.”
Knight also gave the men’s team the benefit of the doubt because they appeared to laugh at Trump’s comments.
Team USA hockey gold medalists Quinn Hughes, right, his brother Jack Hughes, left, and their teammates are recognized by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“I think there’s a real level of support and respect,” she said. “I think it gets overshadowed by a quick lapse. I think the guys were in a difficult situation, so I think it’s a shame that this story and narrative is kind of blown up and overshadows that connection and genuine interest in each other and cheering each other on.”
Jeremy Swayman, the men’s team’s backup goaltender, admitted the team “should have reacted differently” to Trump’s comments. But he and Jack and Quinn Hughes all talked a lot about the women’s team and their relationship with them.
“We know we’re so excited for the women’s team. We have so much respect for the women’s team. To share that gold medal with them is something we’re forever grateful for,” Swayman said.
Jack Hughes told reporters after the game that the first thing on his mind when the puck went in was Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal for the U.S. women’s team against Canada three days earlier.
The brothers’ mother, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current player development officer said the players only cared about “bring[ing] so much unity for a group and a country.”
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)
Knight scored the tying goal late in the third period to force overtime, leading to Keller’s golden goal that gave the women’s team their third Olympic gold.
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