'Women aren't less than': Team USA women's hockey players respond to Trump's joke [View all]

Source: NBC News

Feb. 25, 2026, 6:52 PM EST / Updated Feb. 25, 2026, 10:57 PM EST


Members of Team USA's women's hockey team say they don't want their Olympic gold medal achievement to be overshadowed by the backlash over President Donald Trump's joke about having to invite them to the White House during a call to the men's team.

Trump called the men's hockey team, still celebrating in the locker room after its own 2-1 gold medal win against Canada on Sunday, and invited the men to Tuesday's State of the Union address.

But his joke during the phone call about also having to invite the women and the subsequent laughter from the men, which was captured on video and circulated widely on social media, set off a firestorm of criticism, with many expressing frustration that the joke diminished the women's achievement.

Women's team captain Hilary Knight said Wednesday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that she found the joke “distasteful” but that she also felt the men’s team was “in a tough spot.” “I think this is just a really good learning point to really focus on, you know, how we talk about women,” Knight said. “Not only in sport, but in industry. Women aren’t less than, and our achievements shouldn’t be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/women-arent-less-team-usa-womens-hockey-players-respond-trumps-joke-rcna260725