Hilary Knight Calls Out Trump’s ‘Distasteful’ Joke, Shifts Focus to Women’s Hockey Success

U.S. Women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight is calling for the focus to shift back to her team’s dominant Olympic run, after comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump that she described as “distasteful and unfortunate.”

Dominant Performance in Milan

The American women’s team went undefeated throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics, outscoring opponents 33-2 en route to a gold medal. The final game against Canada, a 2-1 overtime victory, proved to be their toughest challenge.

Trump’s Comments and the Aftermath

Following the U.S. Men’s hockey team’s overtime win against Canada, a video surfaced of Donald Trump congratulating the team and inviting them to the White House. During the call, Trump joked, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” adding with a laugh, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.” Several players in the men’s locker room laughed at the comment.

Knight’s Response

Hilary Knight described Trump’s remarks as “distasteful” and “unfortunate,” stating that it overshadowed the accomplishments of women at the Olympics. ESPN reported Knight’s comments on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. She emphasized the importance of celebrating the success of women’s hockey and minimizing the impact of the joke on their achievements. “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,” Knight said.

Team Dynamics and Support

Knight highlighted the strong relationship between the men’s and women’s national hockey teams, expressing regret that the controversy overshadowed their connection. She noted the genuine support and camaraderie between the teams, both on and off the ice.

State of the Union Invitation Declined

The U.S. Women’s team declined an invitation to attend the State of the Union address, citing scheduling conflicts with their professional and NCAA seasons. CBS Sports reported that USA Hockey spokesperson Melissa Katz confirmed the team’s scheduling conflicts prevented attendance.

Alternative Celebration Plans

While the women’s team declined the White House invitation, they have plans to celebrate with rapper Flava Flav in Las Vegas, following his public support after the video of Trump’s call went viral. Forward Alex Carpenter described Flava Flav as her “most texted person right now.”

Rising Stars and Veteran Leadership

The U.S. Team’s success was fueled by a combination of veteran leadership and emerging talent, including defenders Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards, and forward Abbey Murphy. Harvey was named Olympic MVP and best defender. Edwards became the first Black American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in hockey.

Disparities in Travel Arrangements

The U.S. Men’s team traveled to and from the Olympics on charter flights organized by the NHLPA, while the women’s team was booked on commercial flights through the U.S. Olympic Committee. U.S. Forward Taylor Heise posted on Instagram about a journey home exceeding 24 hours, highlighting the differences in travel arrangements.

A History of Advocacy

Hilary Knight has a long history of advocating for equitable treatment for women in hockey, including a 2017 threat to boycott the world championship and efforts to establish the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). She was instrumental in negotiating the PWHL’s first collective bargaining agreement.

Former U.S. Women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe voiced her support for Knight and her teammates, stating, “You might not be for everybody. Whatever. But you’re for us. You’re ours here in Seattle. You’re ours here in America.”