Why the U.S. Women's Hockey Team Won't Attend Trump’s State of the Union Address

The team politely declined President Donald Trump’s invitation.

The U.S. women’s hockey team declined President Donald Trump’s invitation to his State of the Union address after winning gold in the Milan Cortina Games. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Coming off a dominant gold medal-winning run in the Milan Cortina Olympics, the United States women’s hockey team will not be going to the White House as part of their ongoing celebrations.

The U.S. women’s hockey team declined an invite from the White House to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, the first of his second four-year presidential term.

“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” a USA Hockey spokesperson said, via NBC News’ Monica Alba. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”

Last week, the U.S. women’s hockey team defeated Canada in the gold medal match in a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory. Their male counterparts also triumphed over Canada to clinch their first gold medal since 1980, when Team USA etched themselves into the history books with their historic “Miracle on Ice” semifinal win in Lake Placid, N.Y.

President Trump invited the U.S. men’s hockey team to his State of the Union address in a call on Sunday night, though it remains unclear if they will attend with the NHL regular season returning from Olympic break Wednesday. “Your goalie played not bad,” Trump could be heard saying over the phone in a viral video on X (formerly Twitter). Trump also joked that he “probably would be impeached” if he didn’t invite the gold medal-winning women’s team as well.

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