One of the standout moments from this week’s State of the Union address was President Trump’s acknowledgment of the U.S. men’s hockey team for their gold medal victory. It seemed like a moment of true unity and pride, but, oddly, the media didn’t want it to be seen that way. They focused instead on how the hockey team became, well, kind of a mascot for Trump.
A concerning trend during the Olympics emerged when reporters, both American and European, questioned athletes on how they could represent the U.S. given the current administration and its immigration policies. I mean, who remembers similar questions being asked when Obama and Biden were in office? Yeah, probably no one.
On “CBS Evening News,” reporter Jonah Kaplan pressed USA Hockey goaltender Jeremy Swayman about a light-hearted comment from Trump during a call to the winning team. “We’ve got to bring a women’s team, you know that,” was the joke, which prompted laughter from the men but was seen by others as somehow problematic.
Kaplan seemed to push Swayman to admit some sort of wrongdoing amidst the laughter. “Yes, we should have reacted differently,” Swayman eventually conceded, showing support for the women’s team. Women’s hockey player Kelly Panek echoed these sentiments, but the media seemed eager to create a divide, painting the men negatively. CBS, despite claims of being neutral under its leadership, doesn’t seem to reflect that in practice.
During an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” co-host Michael Strahan posed a question to women’s hockey team captain Hilary Knight about the invitation from the president to visit the White House. Knight responded uncertainly, indicating she hadn’t seen any official details. Plus, she took the chance to criticize Trump, suggesting the phone call was an uncomfortable moment but also a lesson in the importance of language when discussing women.
When Knight spoke, co-host Robin Roberts reacted as if the team was facing blatant sexism.
On “CBS Morning,” co-host Vladimir Duthier commented on the men’s laughter, implying some upset regarding the focus on expenses for the women’s team. CBS even aired Knight’s remarks from ESPN, noting how genuine support and respect seemed overshadowed by criticisms that arose from a momentary faux pas.
Following up on the situation, ABC’s Will Reeve shared Swayman’s remorseful comments on “World News Tonight,” with fellow men’s Olympian Charlie McAvoy expressing disappointment in their reactions and reaffirming their support for women’s hockey.
Interestingly, the Big Three news networks rushed to cover the controversy surrounding FBI Director Kash Patel celebrating with the men in the locker room. Across several days, there were multiple mentions of Patel’s involvement, totaling over three minutes of airtime.
The women’s hockey team ultimately declined the White House invitation, citing “previous commitments.” However, some networks seemed eager for a more cynical narrative. For instance, NPR highlighted rapper Flavor Flav’s outrage over the perceived slight against the women’s team, even suggesting he’d throw a celebration for them in Las Vegas if invited.
Other left-leaning commentators took shots at the men’s hockey team, labeling them in less than flattering terms after the State of the Union speech. It’s interesting to see how opportunities for unity seem to be twisted into something divisive, especially under the current administration. And, honestly, that demonstrates just how competitive the media landscape has become in terms of partisanship.
