Trump Meets Olympic Gold Medalist Tkachuk

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump had a light-hearted interaction with Matthew Tkachuk, the U.S. men’s hockey gold medalist, in the Oval Office before the State of the Union address.

Following their overtime victory against Canada at the Winter Olympics, Tkachuk took photos with his teammates and showcased his medals. He jokingly offered Trump the chance to wear one of his medals.

In response, Trump quipped, “Of course I’m never going to give it back.” Tkachuk suggested, “Let’s trade it for a pen.” Trump then remarked on how it was “cool” to wear the medal, mentioning that he never expected to do so.

Later, teammates Dylan Larkin and Jack Hughes also posed for photos behind Trump’s desk. This group had been invited to the White House to celebrate their gold medal win in Milan.

While the players were clearly excited about the visit, some of Trump’s critics seemed uncomfortable with the interaction. However, Hughes expressed that meeting the president was a unique opportunity, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hughes added, “Everything is very political. We are athletes. We are very proud to represent the United States. And if we have the opportunity to go to the White House and meet the president, you know, we are proud to be Americans. It’s very patriotic. Whatever your opinion, we’re very excited to go to the White House and be part of it.”