U.S. Men’s Hockey Team Celebrates Victory

The U.S. men’s ice hockey team made a stop for photos with military members at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday before heading to the White House for the State of the Union address.

They arrived in Washington, D.C., just after 1 p.m. ET, right after celebrating their significant win against Canada at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, which took place in Miami the night before.

Military personnel greeted the team warmly, often draping American flags over their shoulders as they posed together. The players shared hugs, handshakes, and took photos, some even giving their gold medals to servicemen and women for pictures before making their way to meet President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

Jack Hughes, a star from the New Jersey Devils, gained widespread attention after delivering an enthusiastic message following his overtime goal that secured the gold medal for Team USA. In a NBC broadcast, he expressed, “This is what our country is all about right now. I love America. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. America is a hockey brotherhood. We’re very strong and we had a lot of support from our former players. I’m very proud to be an American today.”

Quinn Hughes, Jack’s younger brother and an NHL defenseman, echoed similar sentiments in an interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico. “This is very special. I want to thank the military for allowing me to play this game,” he said.

President Trump extended an invitation to both the men’s and women’s gold medal teams to visit the White House and attend the State of the Union address, although the women’s team declined due to scheduling issues.

In a light-hearted moment captured in a phone call shortly after their victory, Trump joked that the men’s team “must invite” the women’s team or risk getting “impeached.” The players responded with laughter, although the comment drew some backlash on social media.