U.S. Men’s Hockey Team at State of the Union

Members of the United States men’s hockey team made a notable appearance during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on a Tuesday night, standing on the House floor alongside lawmakers.

As they were introduced, the atmosphere brightened with applause. The players donned their “USA” jerseys, showcasing their gold medals proudly around their necks.

The chamber quickly filled with chants of “USA.” President Trump highlighted their recent triumph, stating, “As everyone saw, they defeated a great Canadian team in overtime. And soon, the American woman will also be seen in the White House.”

In his remarks, he announced the decision to award Connor Hellebuyck, the goaltender, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Some team members, due to their NHL commitments, couldn’t attend, but a few still made it to the White House earlier in the day. They had flown from Miami, celebrating their gold medal win at the Winter Olympics.

Several of the gold medalists posed for pictures with President Trump, and in a light-hearted moment, Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk even convinced the president to wear a gold medal.

“I won’t give it back,” joked Trump during the announcement for Hellebuyck’s honor.

Before this event, Trump had reached out to the team while they were celebrating their 2-1 victory over Canada in the locker room. He said, “I didn’t know you were going to call the nation two minutes ago and announce the State of the Union for Tuesday night. We could send a military plane for you if you want; it’d be the coolest night, the biggest speech…”

At that moment, one player chimed in, “We’re in.” Trump assured them they wouldn’t have to worry about transportation, saying they could come regardless of the weather. “We’ll sail like we did on the ice,” he added.

A few days later, some members of the team were indeed in Washington, D.C.