USA women’s hockey team declines White House’s State of the Union invite
While one of USA Hockey’s Olympic champions will be in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night, the other won’t be.
According to NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba, the U.S. women’s hockey team has declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.
The White House did invite the U.S. women's hockey team to the State of the Union but a spokesperson says while they are "sincerely grateful" for the recognition, the players are unable to attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
A USA Hockey spokesperson told NBC News that conflicting schedules are why the women won’t be able to attend.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” the USA Hockey spokesperson said. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. … They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
Seven of the 23 players on the women’s team, including tournament MVP Caroline Harvey, are still college students. Along with being back in school, the players are also gearing up for their respective conference tournaments this weekend. Also, the PWHL is set to return to action on Thursday, with all eight teams scheduled to play this weekend.
The announcement comes after the men’s and women’s teams both walked away from the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics with gold medals. Both squads beat Canada in their respective finals, both coming out on top in 2-1 contests that required overtime.
In a video circulating online, Trump, speaking to the men’s team via FBI Director Kash Patel’s phone in the locker room after the gold medal game, invited the gold medalists to Tuesday’s event in the U.S. capital. However, he went out of his way to inform the team that he would be inviting the women’s team as well.
“We’ll do the White House…we’ll just have some fun, we have medals for you guys,” Trump said to the team. “And we have to, I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that? … I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
The U.S. women’s team captured its first gold medal since the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, and the third in the program’s history. The game was played in front of a record-breaking TV audience in the country, with an average of 5.3 million people watching last Thursday’s final against the rival Canadians.