The gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team declined the White House’s invitation to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, citing scheduling conflicts.
A Team USA spokesperson told MS NOW in a statement that team members are “sincerely grateful” for the invitation and “deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement.” However, the spokesperson said, the team is unable to attend due to prior obligations, citing “the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the games.”
The team received an invitation from the White House following its victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where it secured the Olympic title in overtime last Thursday.
The men’s team also scored the gold medal on Sunday against Canada. After the men’s big win, video surfaced of FBI Director Kash Patel drinking beer and celebrating with players in the locker room, prompting backlash from critics who accused him of unprofessional and hypocritical behavior.
Patel posted on his personal social media account that he “was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys.” Trump called to congratulate the men’s hockey team after its win and reportedly invited the players to attend the State of the Union. The team hasn’t announced whether it will attend the address.
Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at CNN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.
Lindsey Pipia
Lindsey Pipia is a White House producer for MS NOW. Recommended
