By Haika Mrema
Contributing Writer
Olympic gold medalist Jack Hughes said criticism surrounding the USA men’s hockey team’s locker room call with President Donald Trump after their win over Canada has overshadowed what he described as mutual respect between the men’s and women’s programs.
“People are so negative out there, and they are just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” Hughes, who scored the golden goal in overtime, told the Daily Mail following circulation of the Sunday video. “Everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them.”
The video shows Trump congratulating the team on its gold medal victory and inviting them to the State of the Union before joking that he would also need to invite the women’s team.
“We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said on the call. He added that if he did not, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
The men’s team secured its first Olympic gold medal since 1980 with a win over Canada in the Milan Cortina Games. Days earlier, the USA women’s team also defeated Canada in overtime to capture gold, completing an undefeated run for both American teams.
Jack and his brother, Quinn Hughes, later appeared on NBC’s “Today,” where Quinn underscored the shared experience in Milan.
“I’m glad you brought up the women because it was amazing to spend some time with them, too,” Quinn said. “Me and Jack were there, we watched them win the gold medal.”
Their mother, Ellen Hughes, who serves as a player development consultant for USA Hockey’s women’s program, also addressed the moment during an interview with “Today.”
“At the end of the day, it’s just about the country,” she said. “These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country. People that cheered on, that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.”
Ellen Hughes described what she called “camaraderie and synergy” between the programs during the Games.
“If you could see what we see from the inside and the men and women sharing dorm rooms and halls and flex floors,” she continued. “And the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women, that’s what it’s all about.”
On Monday, a USA Hockey spokesperson confirmed that the women’s team would not attend the State of the Union, citing prior academic and professional commitments.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” a statement read.
“Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
