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BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 07:51 AM 22 hrs ago

'Women aren't less than': Team USA women's hockey players respond to Trump's joke

Source: NBC News

Feb. 25, 2026, 6:52 PM EST / Updated Feb. 25, 2026, 10:57 PM EST


Members of Team USA's women's hockey team say they don't want their Olympic gold medal achievement to be overshadowed by the backlash over President Donald Trump's joke about having to invite them to the White House during a call to the men's team.

Trump called the men's hockey team, still celebrating in the locker room after its own 2-1 gold medal win against Canada on Sunday, and invited the men to Tuesday's State of the Union address.

But his joke during the phone call about also having to invite the women and the subsequent laughter from the men, which was captured on video and circulated widely on social media, set off a firestorm of criticism, with many expressing frustration that the joke diminished the women's achievement.

Women's team captain Hilary Knight said Wednesday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that she found the joke “distasteful” but that she also felt the men’s team was “in a tough spot.” “I think this is just a really good learning point to really focus on, you know, how we talk about women,” Knight said. “Not only in sport, but in industry. Women aren’t less than, and our achievements shouldn’t be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/women-arent-less-team-usa-womens-hockey-players-respond-trumps-joke-rcna260725

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'Women aren't less than': Team USA women's hockey players respond to Trump's joke (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 22 hrs ago OP
And to be honest the men's team got lucky groundloop 22 hrs ago #1
They were lucky liberalgunwilltravel 21 hrs ago #3
No matter what happened on the ice paleotn 19 hrs ago #20
Agree liberalgunwilltravel 19 hrs ago #37
Yup. Fuck those MAGA hat wearing dipshits. SunSeeker 15 hrs ago #55
The men were being used by Trump as a prop MadameButterfly 12 hrs ago #57
They were lucky Jilly_in_VA 18 hrs ago #44
Probably 1/2 of the NHL players BumRushDaShow 21 hrs ago #5
Very nearly. Harker 20 hrs ago #11
So less than half Anerican IbogaProject 20 hrs ago #17
267 Americans, all the others are Europeans... Harker 19 hrs ago #29
Yup. BumRushDaShow 20 hrs ago #18
Currently, about 42% of all NHL players are from Canada Wiz Imp 19 hrs ago #34
The U.S. Team was outplayed by the Canadian Team.... SergeStorms 20 hrs ago #16
I totally agree, and I don't like the 3 on 3 overtime, it is BS. It is for the top medal, play till you drop Bev54 19 hrs ago #24
They didn't go to the SOTU so are they going to the WH? Bengus81 21 hrs ago #2
If you mean the women's team, I thought Karma13612 21 hrs ago #9
They did. paleotn 19 hrs ago #21
And With Good Reason lavoosh99 19 hrs ago #22
Absolutely... Karma13612 12 hrs ago #58
No they turned it down as well. They are too busy. Bev54 19 hrs ago #25
Except, it wasn't a joke, coming from the misogynist sexual predator. niyad 21 hrs ago #4
It's part of that "manosphere" shit BumRushDaShow 21 hrs ago #6
One would think that several thousand years of patriarchy ("manosphere") niyad 21 hrs ago #7
The many millennia philosophy BumRushDaShow 21 hrs ago #8
Sadly true. niyad 21 hrs ago #10
So many perpetually aggrieved white males in this country. Far too much privilege given to them travelingthrulife 20 hrs ago #13
Back in the day, we called it paleotn 19 hrs ago #23
To them, it was a joke. Iggo 19 hrs ago #30
TSF doesn't know the meaning of a joke. His classless comments are never funny... 3catwoman3 15 hrs ago #53
Ladies, I am afraid you are quite mistaken in your thought/suspicions Scalded Nun 20 hrs ago #12
This! calimary 20 hrs ago #15
What I find ironic is that LisaL 20 hrs ago #14
The bar has always been set extremely low..... SergeStorms 19 hrs ago #19
listening to some of the critques on YouTube made it clear.. samnsara 19 hrs ago #27
Being in the city of the infamous "Broad Street Bullies" BumRushDaShow 19 hrs ago #32
It hasn't always been a rich kids sport. But now it is. Wiz Imp 19 hrs ago #36
The "rich kids" BumRushDaShow 18 hrs ago #38
Hockey is an expensive sport for kids to participate in at this point Wiz Imp 18 hrs ago #39
For all the safety gear yes BumRushDaShow 18 hrs ago #42
As a Philadelphian that has played berksdem 18 hrs ago #41
That's if you're not in the "used equipment" market BumRushDaShow 18 hrs ago #43
It is in the northern US Jilly_in_VA 17 hrs ago #45
All the frozen tundra areas! BumRushDaShow 17 hrs ago #46
Nah Jilly_in_VA 17 hrs ago #47
And what you describe is what I meant by "rich kids" BumRushDaShow 17 hrs ago #48
I think even the "rich kids" here Jilly_in_VA 16 hrs ago #49
We have a bunch of old private "Academies" here in Philly and the surrounding area BumRushDaShow 16 hrs ago #50
UM berksdem 16 hrs ago #52
But good luck finding a school that even offers lacrosse BumRushDaShow 15 hrs ago #54
I look at this way, just because the president is a reprobate, doesn't mean they need to bring themselves Bev54 19 hrs ago #28
someone better inform trump they arent visiting him.. samnsara 19 hrs ago #26
Trump fed the men's team McDonald's TexasBushwhacker 12 hrs ago #59
If all the gold medals from both teams were laid side by side, Talitha 19 hrs ago #31
He didn't even recognize a pic of his 2nd wife. BumRushDaShow 19 hrs ago #33
Everything trump touches ... Danascot 19 hrs ago #35
Trump never jokes. He just smiles as he spews out verbal diarrhea hoping his minions will laugh because it is hurtful generalbetrayus 18 hrs ago #40
Everything he touches turns to shit Pluvious 16 hrs ago #51
The U.S. earned more gold and total medals in women's events than men's for the sixth straight Olympics LetMyPeopleVote 14 hrs ago #56

groundloop

(13,706 posts)
1. And to be honest the men's team got lucky
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:04 AM
22 hrs ago

They were outplayed for almost the entire game by Canada and caught a lucky break in overtime. The women's team played a much better game.

liberalgunwilltravel

(1,156 posts)
3. They were lucky
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:21 AM
21 hrs ago

In that their goal tender was incredible. Canada had 42 shots on goal to the US' 28. However, the game winning goal was something to behold, great defense, great pass, and a great one timer. But none of that makes up for the lack of class some of the men's players displayed. And all of it underscores the class that the women's team exhibited. I was actually hoping the men's team didn't win so that when the women refused to be used as a prop by the Pedophile-in-Chief, it would have been all that much sweeter.

paleotn

(21,945 posts)
20. No matter what happened on the ice
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:17 AM
19 hrs ago

The men’s medals will always be tarnished by what happened after the game. In the contest of decency and good sense, they failed miserably. They can go to hell.

SunSeeker

(58,111 posts)
55. Yup. Fuck those MAGA hat wearing dipshits.
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 03:04 PM
15 hrs ago






And that USA hat Jack Hughes wore was also from Trump merch store, it says "45-47" on the sides:

MadameButterfly

(3,943 posts)
57. The men were being used by Trump as a prop
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 05:20 PM
12 hrs ago

The men were on a call from the president, high off of their win, and laughing at a battery of harmless jokes. Then Trump snuk in the mysogenistic one. i think some laughed almost automatically because they that was what they had--so far appropriately--been doing. There was no time to reflect. If there were some--even a majority--who didn't laugh, we wouldn't be hearing their silence.

Statistically there will be some MAGAs on the team. Some will just want to enjoy attention from a president. The anti-Trumper's will behave with respect. None of them initiated insults against the women.

I really think they were being used by Trump as a prop, and he pulled them into his disfunction. No one should have to worry about being put in such a position by a president.

I'm glad some expressed their regret after the incident, and their respect for the women's team. And I have even more admiration for the women for sending that respect right back, understanding the difficult position the men were in.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
18. Yup.
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:09 AM
20 hrs ago


When I first saw who both men and women would play in the finals, it was the first thing that came to mind (although obviously the men hadn't won gold in over 45 years and women in 28 years, but most times we were playing against Canada in both tournaments, in the finals).

Wiz Imp

(9,618 posts)
34. Currently, about 42% of all NHL players are from Canada
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:56 AM
19 hrs ago

Only about 28% are from the US. About 10% are from Sweden, about 7% from Russia and 5% from Finland. The rest are spread out amongst a bunch of other countries.

https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/nationality-totals/active-nhl-players-career-stats.html

SergeStorms

(20,332 posts)
16. The U.S. Team was outplayed by the Canadian Team....
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:06 AM
20 hrs ago

In every respect but one: Goalkeeper. And even then, not by much.
Hellebuyck was in a other world with his goalkeeping. The Canadian Team out-shot the U.S. team by almost a 2-1 margin, but Hellebuyck turned them all away, save one.
The U.S. Men had nothing to get cocky about. They were lucky.
I'm willing to bet the Big Mouth in Chief has never watched a hockey game in his entire life. He always wants to glom-on to others people's accomplishments, like HE had a part in it.

Bev54

(13,380 posts)
24. I totally agree, and I don't like the 3 on 3 overtime, it is BS. It is for the top medal, play till you drop
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:23 AM
19 hrs ago

The men got lucky because Canada dominated the game, but as a Canadian I say the women deserved the gold medal, they out played our women. We definitely need some younger players on our team.

Karma13612

(4,967 posts)
9. If you mean the women's team, I thought
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:52 AM
21 hrs ago

they turned down the invitation to the white house.


lavoosh99

(43 posts)
22. And With Good Reason
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:19 AM
19 hrs ago

Wasting time and money travelling to DC to eat cold hamberders and soggy fries with a lunatic pedo rapist felon? Pass.

niyad

(131,277 posts)
4. Except, it wasn't a joke, coming from the misogynist sexual predator.
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:29 AM
21 hrs ago

Ms. Knight was most diplomatic. And quite correct to point out how we talk about women. The unthinking, casual sexism is so deeply embedded many do not even see it.

niyad

(131,277 posts)
7. One would think that several thousand years of patriarchy ("manosphere")
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:45 AM
21 hrs ago

would suffice. It appears not.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
8. The many millennia philosophy
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:48 AM
21 hrs ago

is that they are at the top of the food chain and that lofty position will not be undermined.

travelingthrulife

(4,998 posts)
13. So many perpetually aggrieved white males in this country. Far too much privilege given to them
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 09:33 AM
20 hrs ago

paleotn

(21,945 posts)
23. Back in the day, we called it
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:21 AM
19 hrs ago

being a fucking assholes. Acting like whiny ass babies. We should still call it that.

Iggo

(49,826 posts)
30. To them, it was a joke.
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:43 AM
19 hrs ago

It may be hard for people to understand jock humor, but it’s real easy to explain.

It’s like this: If they’re not being dicks, it’s not funny. Cruelty IS the joke.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it.

Signed — An Ex-Jock

3catwoman3

(29,126 posts)
53. TSF doesn't know the meaning of a joke. His classless comments are never funny...
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 02:20 PM
15 hrs ago

...and he means exactly what he says when he claims to be joking or using sarcasm.

Scalded Nun

(1,646 posts)
12. Ladies, I am afraid you are quite mistaken in your thought/suspicions
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 09:24 AM
20 hrs ago

Trump and the rest of the GOP have always, and will always, think of you as 'less than'. Do not expect that to change.

They are scum, and should be treated as such.

calimary

(89,543 posts)
15. This!
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 09:51 AM
20 hrs ago

You’re NOT gonna teach Donald, Mr. Catastrophic Disgrace, any new tricks. Especially any that might possibly help him climb out of the pit he’s dug for himself.

YOU built this, Donald. Now live in it.

LisaL

(47,380 posts)
14. What I find ironic is that
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 09:40 AM
20 hrs ago

hockey players are held to a higher standard than the president. They laughed at the joke. He is the one who made it.

SergeStorms

(20,332 posts)
19. The bar has always been set extremely low.....
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:16 AM
19 hrs ago

for tRump, for some unknown reason. Biden-Harris were held to much higher standards than tRump. Why the Pedophile-in-Chief isn't held to more lofty standards is the fault of Congressional republicans. They lower themselves to his level instead of demanding more from him.
They're all sniveling cowards.

samnsara

(18,759 posts)
27. listening to some of the critques on YouTube made it clear..
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:28 AM
19 hrs ago

.....this is a rich kids sport and they are probably trumpers anyway......

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
32. Being in the city of the infamous "Broad Street Bullies"
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:53 AM
19 hrs ago

I wouldn't say it was a "rich kids sport". It always seemed to be more a "working class white" sport, evolved out of "street hockey" and then moving onto the ice... This is because many of the teams get populated by kids right out of high school vs out of college, the latter of which you see in pro sports like football and basketball (and sometimes baseball but not as much there either).

I.e., the players start young (although nowadays, the basketball players are joining much younger).

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
38. The "rich kids"
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:10 AM
18 hrs ago

are doing polo (and various "dressage" things), as well as cricket, lacrosse and field hockey... And if they do "skating", it's figure skating with pro coaches. I have seen the rinks all around here (used to go to one as a kid and one of my nieces frequented one for years and discovered the pro rinks).

Wiz Imp

(9,618 posts)
39. Hockey is an expensive sport for kids to participate in at this point
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:29 AM
18 hrs ago

compared to basketball, football & Baseball. There's a reason less than 1/3 of NHL players are from the US.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
42. For all the safety gear yes
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:44 AM
18 hrs ago

but it starts in the streets and if parents want their kids to do "more", the schools will have fundraisers and will pass the equipment down to the younger ones (big "used" market).

When I used to take my niece to the nearby rink for her practices, I watched her and her class skating on one half of the rink and the young boys doing their hockey practices on the other half. They put up cones in the center to demarcate the areas. I would even see wee ones - literally 3, 4, and 5 year olds, learning to skate on ice and handle the motions, including getting back up after falling.

If anything, like how you saw Norway dominate the Winter Olympics this year, it's a "northern climate" sport. For those who live in places with frozen tundra more than 6 - 8 months out of the year, they often end up on skates or skis. And Canada (except places like British Columbia being on the Pacific coast) fits that bill.

berksdem

(920 posts)
41. As a Philadelphian that has played
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:42 AM
18 hrs ago

Jr Hockey and coached it is a rich kid sport these days. travel, equipment, ice fees and player fees these days are ridiculous. if you are any good and play tier 1 travel you will be paying thousands of dollars per year.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
43. That's if you're not in the "used equipment" market
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:53 AM
18 hrs ago

It never was really a "college" sport though. The players get pulled much younger.

The "college sports" obviously require $$$$ for attending the school alone, and obviously scholarships end up involved as well, so there is that extra cost (if they don't have the full monte in scholarship financing). And for both high school and college football, you have similar equipment needs.

But none of that compares to the "real rich kids" sports as I mentioned - cricket, polo (requiring horses), lacrosse and I suppose you can add tennis in there too.

Jilly_in_VA

(14,235 posts)
45. It is in the northern US
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:10 PM
17 hrs ago

particularly in the upper midwest. It has always been HUGE at Wisconsin, for instance. If I'm not mistaken, it's also pretty big at D-III schools up there, which don't get D-III money. Those kids play for love of the game. A lot of those are the kind of kids I went to HS with. We had a hockey team (boys only, of course, in those days) and a bunch of those guys went on to play in college back in the day, long before there was any money in it.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
46. All the frozen tundra areas!
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:24 PM
17 hrs ago


I have cousins who grew up in NH and skiing was "the thing". One of them would go to Killington in VT every season. And that required the gear and lift tickets, etc.

If you live in those colder areas, you don't really need "indoor" rinks (and the cost to maintain them). You go to the nearest frozen ponds/lakes (or outdoor rinks set up for that purpose) and have at it!

Where I am and I expect where you are, equestrian riding and competing (and "dressage" ) is a "thing" and requires $$$$ just for the horse care, stables, saddles, and whatnot. It's a whole OTHER LEVEL of "rich" than ice hockey.

Jilly_in_VA

(14,235 posts)
47. Nah
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:44 PM
17 hrs ago

Leave that to the rich kids in NOVA. Where I am it's football and basketball, and for a lot of kids, soccer. There's a big Hispanic population here, as well as Middle Eastern kids and African kids whose dads are at JMU or other employers, so soccer is pretty big for girls as well as boys. Same in east Tennessee where my daughter is.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
48. And what you describe is what I meant by "rich kids"
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:52 PM
17 hrs ago

And agree - soccer has pretty much taken over everywhere. It took a long time to get established in the U.S. starting at the youngest ages but now we're producing world class players! The U.S. Women's soccer team won gold in 2024.

Jilly_in_VA

(14,235 posts)
49. I think even the "rich kids" here
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 01:27 PM
16 hrs ago

play sports not involving sticks or animals. What you describe as "rich kids" here mostly go to either Eastern Mennonite High School, or Stuart Hall in Staunton, and Stuart Hall might have a girls field hockey team but ir it does nobody ever heard of it. The only other "rich kid" school around is Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, and they're in a whole other classification---probably a disciplinary alternative for kids like Shitler was, or kids whose parents don't want to be bothered with them most of the time. We pay them no attention, besides which, they're in another conference anyway.

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
50. We have a bunch of old private "Academies" here in Philly and the surrounding area
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 01:43 PM
16 hrs ago

and then there is "The Main Line", just outside of Philly, started back when the very wealthy built mansions along the railroad tracks (Pennsylvania Railroad).



People like 45 and Muskrat are considered "noveau riche" and 45 and his father, were always shunned by the NY elite and blue bloods.

berksdem

(920 posts)
52. UM
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 01:52 PM
16 hrs ago

Lacrosse is way cheaper than hockey. Want to play on a Tier 1 hockey team get ready to pay 15K just in dues. That is not equipment, travel, etc...

BumRushDaShow

(168,069 posts)
54. But good luck finding a school that even offers lacrosse
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 02:55 PM
15 hrs ago

In most cases (except for a tiny few exceptions) the tuition alone at those schools with a program, can easily runs 2 to 3 times that. And I won't even get into the equestrian programs.

ETA - and I won't even get into sculling. Philly has a whole area along the river dedicated to it -

Bev54

(13,380 posts)
28. I look at this way, just because the president is a reprobate, doesn't mean they need to bring themselves
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:29 AM
19 hrs ago

down to that level, unless of course they are already there. How many wives gave them hell for that?

samnsara

(18,759 posts)
26. someone better inform trump they arent visiting him..
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:26 AM
19 hrs ago

..he announced they were coming to the WH after all. NOT according to Hilary Knights interview this morning......shes pissed!!

TexasBushwhacker

(21,162 posts)
59. Trump fed the men's team McDonald's
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 06:00 PM
12 hrs ago

The womens' team got a gourmet Italian meal, courtesy of Stanley Tucci, during their time off before their winning game.

Talitha

(7,873 posts)
31. If all the gold medals from both teams were laid side by side,
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:46 AM
19 hrs ago

...would Dump be able to pick out which ones were from the Womens' Team?

generalbetrayus

(1,701 posts)
40. Trump never jokes. He just smiles as he spews out verbal diarrhea hoping his minions will laugh because it is hurtful
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:40 AM
18 hrs ago

and they are psychopaths.

LetMyPeopleVote

(177,965 posts)
56. The U.S. earned more gold and total medals in women's events than men's for the sixth straight Olympics
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 03:46 PM
14 hrs ago

This makes me smile






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