NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the crazy reactions to the US men’s hockey team being invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.
Trump spoke to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address, adding that he also had to invite the women’s team or he would be “courted”.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, prompting questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.
“I’m proud of the American men. I’m proud of the American women. You should have invited them both to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespectful, misogynistic,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do you have to mess everything up? Everything’s not democratic, republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, messed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know you can say they’re all saying things. Being fools.”
Barkley lamented that the average person would be upset by the supposed controversy.
The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. (Photo Luca Bruno/AP)
“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do—that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go didn’t have to explain why they didn’t have to explain.”
The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made it clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I was invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy — I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a conversation. It doesn’t have to be un-American.
Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag with Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal game against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on February 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
“I just wish you guys would stop falling for the stupidity.”
Related article
