Brady Tkachuk Denounces White House AI-Altered Video
U.S. Olympic hockey star Brady Tkachuk has publicly refuted an AI-generated video released by the White House that falsely depicts him making disparaging remarks about Canada. The video surfaced following the U.S. Men’s hockey team’s gold medal victory at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
AI-Generated Controversy
The White House TikTok account posted a video featuring Tkachuk seemingly saying, “They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup eating fuckers a lesson.” Tkachuk emphatically denied ever uttering these words, stating the video is “clearly fake” because “it’s not my voice and not my lips moving.” USA Today reported on his response.
“I’m not in control of any of those accounts. I know that those words would never come out of my mouth. So, I can’t do anything about it,” Tkachuk said during a media availability on February 26th. He further emphasized, “It’s not my voice. It’s not what I was saying. I would never say that. That’s not who I am.” CBS Sports also covered the story.
Context of U.S.-Canada Rivalry
The video references the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, where Canadian fans reportedly booed the U.S. National anthem. Tensions between the two countries were heightened last February when former President Donald Trump announced tariffs against Canada. The AI-generated video falsely attributes a harsh sentiment to Tkachuk in relation to this event.
President Trump’s Post-Game Call and State of the Union Invitation
Following the Olympic victory, the U.S. Team received a call from President Trump, during which he invited them to the State of the Union address. Some observers believed Tkachuk could be heard saying “Close the northern border” during the call, a claim he also denied. The Associated Press reported on these details.
During the same call, President Trump made a joke at the expense of the U.S. Women’s hockey team, stating he would “have to bring the women’s team” and jokingly adding he would be “impeached” if he didn’t. This comment drew criticism from U.S. Women’s captain Hilary Knight, who called it “distasteful.”
Team Support and Reactions
Tkachuk acknowledged Knight’s concerns and expressed support for the women’s team. He noted the laughter from his teammates during Trump’s comments may have been due to shock, explaining, “You’re talking to the President 10 minutes after you achieve your dream… you can’t believe that you’re talking to [him].”
The U.S. Men’s team attended the State of the Union address, receiving a bipartisan standing ovation. The women’s team declined the invitation, citing scheduling conflicts. They have since accepted an invitation from Flavor Flav to a celebratory event in Las Vegas.
Tkachuk’s Professional Ties to Canada
Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators, emphasized his positive relationship with Canada, stating he has “never” considered the possibility of not playing in the country.