Hilary Knight Calls Out Trump Over ‘Distasteful Joke’ Following Olympic Gold

U.S. Women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight has publicly criticized President Donald Trump for a joke he made regarding inviting the women’s team to the State of the Union address. The comment came after congratulating the U.S. Men’s hockey team on their gold medal win at the 2026 Winter Olympics, ending a 46-year drought for the program.

Trump’s Comment and Initial Reaction

During a phone call with the men’s team, President Trump joked that inviting the women’s team to the State of the Union might lead to his impeachment. The remark drew laughter from some players in the men’s locker room. While the men’s team attended the State of the Union, the women’s team declined the invitation.

Knight’s Response: ‘Distasteful’ and Overshadowing Achievements

Hilary Knight described Trump’s joke as “distasteful” in an interview with ESPN CBS Sports, stating it detracted from the accomplishments of female athletes at the Olympics. She emphasized the significance of the women’s team’s gold medal victory, defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime, and the broader success of women across all Olympic events. Reuters reports Knight too broke U.S. Olympic women’s hockey records during the games.

Maintaining Team Unity

Despite the controversy, Knight stressed the strong relationship between the men’s and women’s national hockey teams. She acknowledged that the men’s team was “in a tough spot” and expressed regret that the incident overshadowed their close bond and mutual support. Sporting News highlights Knight’s sentiment that the connection between the teams is genuine and should not be diminished by the situation.

Looking Forward

Knight hopes the situation serves as a “really great learning point” to improve how society discusses and values women’s achievements, not just in sports but across all industries. She reiterated that women’s accomplishments should be celebrated for their merit, without being overshadowed by external factors. Today.com reported Knight was the closing ceremony flag bearer.