U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team Visits President Trump
On Tuesday, the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team had a meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office, just hours before they were set to be at the State of the Union address.
During their visit, winger Matthew Tkachuk presented Trump with a gold medal at a banquet, following through on Trump’s promise to provide military aircraft for the team’s trip to Washington, D.C.
Trump made a lighthearted comment while wearing the medal, saying, “I’m not going to give it back,” which elicited laughter from Tkachuk and his teammates.
The White House visit was mostly private, with only a handful of moments shared online by Trump’s staff, as reporters and cameras were kept out in preparation for the president’s annual speech.
Trump had invited both the men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams to attend the State of the Union, and officials were working quickly to accommodate them in the packed House chamber.
Interestingly, the women’s team opted not to accept the invitation.
Due to the last-minute nature of this invitation, House Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned he was making arrangements swiftly.
In a separate comment, Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated that inviting special guests to the parliamentary chambers was challenging, hinting at logistical issues.
The team recently triumphed over Canada with a 2-1 victory in overtime. They can expect an enthusiastic acknowledgment from Trump as guests in the gallery, a tradition that has roots in the Reagan era.
Following their win, Trump congratulated the team via phone. There was even a moment involving FBI Director Kash Patel, who, in a celebratory mood, put Trump on speakerphone after making quite the playful ruckus.
After their successful return from Italy, the team flew back on an Air Force plane on Tuesday. Their social media reflects a spirited approach to their travels, showing that they take the concept of a “traveling party” quite literally.
Back in South Florida, the Olympic champions enjoyed a celebratory steak dinner before hitting up the lively Miami nightclub E11even for further festivities.
