The U.S. Men’s hockey team was welcomed to the White House on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, following their gold medal victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy.
President Donald Trump invited the team to Washington to attend his State of the Union address, according to multiple reports. The invitation followed the team’s 2-1 championship win on Sunday. Footage shared by Trump advisor Margo Martin showed the team touring the White House colonnade, with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” playing in the background.
During a visit to the Oval Office, President Trump greeted the players, stating, “I recognize every one of you. I know every one of you,” and noting they were “big guys,” as reported by Dan Scavino, Deputy Chief of Staff, on social media.
The team traveled to Washington from Miami, where they initially celebrated their victory, aboard a U.S. Air Force 757, according to local news reports. Matthew Tkachuk, a forward on the team, shared a photo of the team outside the government plane on Instagram.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed the team would be present at the State of the Union address, stating, “Logistics were a bit of a challenge last minute, but I consider we’ll get that done.”
The U.S. Women’s hockey team, who also won gold at the Winter Olympics defeating Canada 2-1, declined President Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union address, citing previously scheduled academic and professional commitments. A USA Hockey spokesperson stated the athletes were “honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
The White House shared images of the team on the South Lawn and in the West Wing, with patriotic music playing in the Roosevelt Room.
