Gold medalists Megan Keller and Aerin Frankel of Team United States celebrate the victory on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
US Women's Olympic Hockey Champs Decline Trump SOTU Invite
"Another win for the US women’s hockey team," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The gold medal-winning US women's Olympic hockey team has declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
In a statement given to NBC News, a spokesperson for USA Hockey said that while the team was "sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning US Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement," its members could not attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
The team's decision to decline an invitation to the State of the Union came one day after Trump was heard telling the US men's hockey team, which also won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, that he would be forced to invite the women's team to the White House or risk being impeached.
"I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?" Trump told the players on Sunday.
This resulted in the men's team breaking out in laughter.
The women's team's decision to not attend Trump's speech drew quick praise from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is widely expected to seek the presidency in 2028.
"Another win for the US women’s hockey team," he wrote in a social media post.
Activist Charlotte Clymer argued that Trump's ridicule of the women's team showed just how little his attacks on transgender women athletes had anything to do with a sincere appreciation for or desire to "protect" women's sports.
"Weird how Trump has spent the past several years falsely claiming trans youth are an existential threat to women’s sports," she remarked, "and then mocks the US women’s hockey team after they won gold because he thinks it’ll play well with the guys during a locker room celebration."
She also urged the men's hockey team to decline Trump's invitation in solidarity with their fellow gold medal-winners.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
The gold medal-winning US women's Olympic hockey team has declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
In a statement given to NBC News, a spokesperson for USA Hockey said that while the team was "sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning US Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement," its members could not attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
The team's decision to decline an invitation to the State of the Union came one day after Trump was heard telling the US men's hockey team, which also won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, that he would be forced to invite the women's team to the White House or risk being impeached.
"I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?" Trump told the players on Sunday.
This resulted in the men's team breaking out in laughter.
The women's team's decision to not attend Trump's speech drew quick praise from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is widely expected to seek the presidency in 2028.
"Another win for the US women’s hockey team," he wrote in a social media post.
Activist Charlotte Clymer argued that Trump's ridicule of the women's team showed just how little his attacks on transgender women athletes had anything to do with a sincere appreciation for or desire to "protect" women's sports.
"Weird how Trump has spent the past several years falsely claiming trans youth are an existential threat to women’s sports," she remarked, "and then mocks the US women’s hockey team after they won gold because he thinks it’ll play well with the guys during a locker room celebration."
She also urged the men's hockey team to decline Trump's invitation in solidarity with their fellow gold medal-winners.
- 'Vindictive': Trump USDA Freezes $100 Million for University of Maine Amid Trans Athlete Fight ›
- 2nd-Place Runner in High School Race Rips Maine GOP Lawmaker for Attacking Trans Winner ›
- Democratic State AGs Vow to Fight Trump's Attacks on Transgender People ›
The gold medal-winning US women's Olympic hockey team has declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
In a statement given to NBC News, a spokesperson for USA Hockey said that while the team was "sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning US Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement," its members could not attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
The team's decision to decline an invitation to the State of the Union came one day after Trump was heard telling the US men's hockey team, which also won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, that he would be forced to invite the women's team to the White House or risk being impeached.
"I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?" Trump told the players on Sunday.
This resulted in the men's team breaking out in laughter.
The women's team's decision to not attend Trump's speech drew quick praise from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is widely expected to seek the presidency in 2028.
"Another win for the US women’s hockey team," he wrote in a social media post.
Activist Charlotte Clymer argued that Trump's ridicule of the women's team showed just how little his attacks on transgender women athletes had anything to do with a sincere appreciation for or desire to "protect" women's sports.
"Weird how Trump has spent the past several years falsely claiming trans youth are an existential threat to women’s sports," she remarked, "and then mocks the US women’s hockey team after they won gold because he thinks it’ll play well with the guys during a locker room celebration."
She also urged the men's hockey team to decline Trump's invitation in solidarity with their fellow gold medal-winners.
- 'Vindictive': Trump USDA Freezes $100 Million for University of Maine Amid Trans Athlete Fight ›
- 2nd-Place Runner in High School Race Rips Maine GOP Lawmaker for Attacking Trans Winner ›
- Democratic State AGs Vow to Fight Trump's Attacks on Transgender People ›