'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 ESPNs SportsCenter that she found the joke distasteful but that she also felt the mens 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 arent less than, and our achievements shouldnt 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
groundloop
(13,706 posts)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)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)The mens 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.
liberalgunwilltravel
(1,156 posts)1,000,000%
SunSeeker
(58,111 posts)Link to tweet
And that USA hat Jack Hughes wore was also from Trump merch store, it says "45-47" on the sides:

MadameButterfly
(3,943 posts)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.
Jilly_in_VA
(14,235 posts)in that KashYAP didn't invade THEIR locker room and throw beer around!
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)ARE Canadian!
Harker
(17,660 posts)Of the 871 players in the NHL, 403 are Canadians.
IbogaProject
(5,762 posts)As there are many European players too.
Harker
(17,660 posts)except for the lone Australian.
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)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)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)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)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.
Bengus81
(10,026 posts)I haven't heard.........
Karma13612
(4,967 posts)they turned down the invitation to the white house.
paleotn
(21,945 posts)lavoosh99
(43 posts)Wasting time and money travelling to DC to eat cold hamberders and soggy fries with a lunatic pedo rapist felon? Pass.
Karma13612
(4,967 posts)There is no honor dining with the Felon-in-Chief
Bev54
(13,380 posts)niyad
(131,277 posts)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.
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)that Democrats are supposed to "embrace".
niyad
(131,277 posts)would suffice. It appears not.
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)is that they are at the top of the food chain and that lofty position will not be undermined.
niyad
(131,277 posts)travelingthrulife
(4,998 posts)paleotn
(21,945 posts)being a fucking assholes. Acting like whiny ass babies. We should still call it that.
Iggo
(49,826 posts)It may be hard for people to understand jock humor, but its real easy to explain.
Its like this: If theyre not being dicks, its not funny. Cruelty IS the joke.
Thats it. Thats all there is to it.
Signed An Ex-Jock
3catwoman3
(29,126 posts)...and he means exactly what he says when he claims to be joking or using sarcasm.
Scalded Nun
(1,646 posts)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)Youre NOT gonna teach Donald, Mr. Catastrophic Disgrace, any new tricks. Especially any that might possibly help him climb out of the pit hes dug for himself.
YOU built this, Donald. Now live in it.
LisaL
(47,380 posts)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)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).....this is a rich kids sport and they are probably trumpers anyway......
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)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).
Wiz Imp
(9,618 posts)BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)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)compared to basketball, football & Baseball. There's a reason less than 1/3 of NHL players are from the US.
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)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)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)It never was really a "college" sport though. The players get pulled much younger.
The "college sports" obviously require $$$$ for attending the school alone, and obviously scholarships end up involved as well, so there is that extra cost (if they don't have the full monte in scholarship financing). And for both high school and college football, you have similar equipment needs.
But none of that compares to the "real rich kids" sports as I mentioned - cricket, polo (requiring horses), lacrosse and I suppose you can add tennis in there too.
Jilly_in_VA
(14,235 posts)particularly in the upper midwest. It has always been HUGE at Wisconsin, for instance. If I'm not mistaken, it's also pretty big at D-III schools up there, which don't get D-III money. Those kids play for love of the game. A lot of those are the kind of kids I went to HS with. We had a hockey team (boys only, of course, in those days) and a bunch of those guys went on to play in college back in the day, long before there was any money in it.
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)I have cousins who grew up in NH and skiing was "the thing". One of them would go to Killington in VT every season. And that required the gear and lift tickets, etc.
If you live in those colder areas, you don't really need "indoor" rinks (and the cost to maintain them). You go to the nearest frozen ponds/lakes (or outdoor rinks set up for that purpose) and have at it!
Where I am and I expect where you are, equestrian riding and competing (and "dressage" ) is a "thing" and requires $$$$ 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)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)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)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)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)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)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)down to that level, unless of course they are already there. How many wives gave them hell for that?
samnsara
(18,759 posts)..he announced they were coming to the WH after all. NOT according to Hilary Knights interview this morning......shes pissed!!
TexasBushwhacker
(21,162 posts)The womens' team got a gourmet Italian meal, courtesy of Stanley Tucci, during their time off before their winning game.
Talitha
(7,873 posts)...would Dump be able to pick out which ones were from the Womens' Team?
BumRushDaShow
(168,069 posts)Danascot
(5,197 posts)generalbetrayus
(1,701 posts)and they are psychopaths.



