Reuters
(Washington, DC) – The gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team has declined an invitation from Donald Trump to attend his upcoming State of the Union address.
The decision comes just days after both the U.S. men’s and women’s teams captured Olympic gold in dramatic overtime victories over Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Why They’re Not Attending
In a statement, a USA Hockey spokesperson said the team was “sincerely grateful” for the invitation and appreciated the recognition of their achievement.
However, due to previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to attend.
“They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment,” the spokesperson added.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump’s Invitation — And His Joke
President Trump invited the men’s team during a congratulatory phone call Sunday night following their overtime gold medal win.
During that call, he made light of the situation, saying:
“We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.”
He added jokingly that if he didn’t invite the women’s team, he would “probably be impeached.”
Back-to-Back Golden Moments
The women’s team defeated Canada in Thursday’s Olympic final, securing gold in a thrilling matchup that once again highlighted one of the fiercest rivalries in international hockey.
Just days later, the men’s team also beat Canada in overtime to capture gold, capping off a historic run for Team USA on the ice.
