Captain of the U.S. women’s ice hockey team, Hilary Knight, responded to comments U.S. President Donald Trump made to the men’s team after both won gold at the Winter Olympics, saying his wisecrack about also having to invite the women to the White House to celebrate their achievement is “overshadowing” the success of both.
While celebrating its gold medal win against Canada on Sunday, the men’s team received a call from Trump, who invited them to Tuesday’s State of the Union speech.
“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team,” he said. “You do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
A video of the interaction, which shows some of the players on the men’s team laughing at the remark, went viral shortly after.
Knight, a five-time Olympic medallist, shared her perspective on Trump’s comment during a SportsCenter interview on Wednesday.
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“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” she said.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time, and really not detract from that with a distasteful joke,” Knight continued.
“I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on,” she added.
Trump’s remarks and the reaction from the men’s team prompted a wave of criticism, which Jack Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Canada to clinch gold, addressed during an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday.
According to the New York Times, in a separate interview outside of a Miami nightclub on Monday night, Hughes told reporters, “Everything is so political, we’re athletes, we’re so proud to represent the U.S., and when you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the president … That’s so patriotic.”
The men’s team attended Trump’s address on Tuesday evening and was greeted by a standing ovation from Democrats and Republicans alike as they waved and raised their medals to the crowd.
Kelly Pannek, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, PWHL Minnesota Frost player and Knight’s Olympic teammate, told media on Wednesday that the rhetoric in Trump’s phone call did not come as a shock.
“The phone call, specifically, it’s not surprising, to be frank. I don’t know why we’d expect differently,” she said, but added that both teams were celebratory of the other’s achievements.
“I think that’s something we all know, being there, what it felt like to have their support throughout the tournament,” Pannek said.
“To support them, and how great a moment it was for everyone that was a fan of both teams to come together and say how great it was … It really was such a special feeling being there, even being able to spend the time with them after their win and the respect that they were showing us,” she continued.
The women’s team declined Trump’s invitation to the White House on Monday, citing timing and “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.”
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