Hilary Knight Addresses Backlash Over President Trump’s Joke About Women’s Hockey Team

“I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect, and I think that’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse,” Knight said.

Hilary Knight called the men’s team’s call with President Trump a “quick lapse.” | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

After Team USA’s men’s hockey team’s gold medal win over Canada on Sunday, the team spoke with President Donald Trump on the phone during their Olympic celebrations in a call that has since gone viral.

In the phone call with U.S. men’s hockey players, Trump said he “probably would be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women to the White House, too. The women’s hockey team won gold at the Olympics as well for the third time in recent history.

“We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said. “I do believe I probably would be impeached, okay?” Several of the U.S. men’s hockey players could be heard laughing in the video, a moment that has since incited online controversy.

Jack and Quinn Hughes, who were seen laughing in the video, emphasized their continued support for the women’s hockey team when addressing the locker room moment on Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday, Jeremy Swayman admitted the men’s team “should’ve reacted differently” when hearing Trump’s “joke.”

While we’ve heard some reactions from the men’s players, we officially heard from the women’s team when Olympic legend Hilary Knight addressed the controversy on SportsCenter.

"I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke and unfortunately that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said Wednesday.

“I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect, and I think that’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse,” Knight continued. “I think the guys were in a tough spot, so it’s a shame that this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering one another on. ... I look forward to those friendships and acquaintances continuing in great fashion. I think this is a really good learning point to focus on how we talk about women, not only in sport but in industry. Women aren’t less than. Our achievements shouldn't be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are.”

USA women's hockey gold medalist @HilaryKnight describes her team's relationship with the USA men's team as one with a "genuine level of support and respect" that's being overshadowed by a "quick lapse."

"Our achievements shouldn't be overshadowed by anything else other than how… pic.twitter.com/0oDaQwQi9B

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 25, 2026

Knight emphasized how the men’s and women’s teams remain close with one another, and it sounds like she sympathizes with the situation the men’s team were put in.

It sounds like the women’s team is on the same page about still feeling connected with the men’s team despite this controversy. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported on Wednesday that U.S. women’s hockey forward Taylor Heise said the team has received public and private apologies from various members of the men’s team.

The women’s gold medal team declined Trump’s invitation to attend Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, which the men’s team did attend except for a few players, due to “timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” Instead, the women’s team plans to celebrate with rapper Flavor Flav at a later date.

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