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USA hockey captain Hilary Knight was once again outspoken about President Donald Trump’s rants about her team.
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 last week’s State of the Union address or he would “probably be impeached.”
In a recent appearance on Ilona Maher’s podcast, Knight reiterated his earlier position that Trump was making a “tasteless joke,” but again gave the men the benefit of the doubt about being in a “tough environment.”
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Hilary Knight poses for a photo during the US Olympic Team Media Summit in preparation for the Milan 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Javits Center on October 29, 2025. (Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)
However, Knight said the phone call and the reaction is “a wonderful teaching point.”
“What we’ve achieved is no laughing matter. It’s a very complex issue about what goes on behind closed doors and how women are represented in different conversations, but at the end of the day, none of that should be imposed on us to explain someone’s behavior,” Knight said. “What should happen is to celebrate all the women and their amazing achievements – especially our team and also the men’s team – and how the women did at the Olympics, which was epic.
“Even though the situation was distasteful, it’s been amazing to come back to our diverse communities and see the overwhelming support on social media. We’re being celebrated the way we should be. I’m excited and looking forward to continuing these conversations and using this as a learning point for how we talk about women, not just in sports, but in other industries. It should never be about rooting for one through and fighting for women. The tournament, I think both teams did an incredible job of having genuine support and establishing friendships together This is a learning point and we will continue to move forward, but I am excited to celebrate all of our success as badass women on the world stage doing our thing.
Hilary Knight of Team United States looks on during the second period during the women’s playoff semifinal match between the United States and Sweden on Day 10 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 16, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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, the first thing he thought about when the puck went in was Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal for the USA 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 “bringing[ing] so much unity for a group and a country.”
USA’s Kendall Coyne, left, and USA’s Hilary Knight celebrate after the women’s ice hockey victory ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on February 19, 2026. (Hassan Ammar/AP Photo)
Knight and Megan Keller, who scored the women’s golden goal, joined the Hughes brothers on this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live.”
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