Brady Tkachuk defends Team USA reaction to Trump joke about women’s hockey
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Brady Tkachuk is back with the Ottawa Senators and stood his ground when faced with a question about the viral moment when Team USA laughed at President Donald Trump’s joke about the women’s ice hockey team during a phone call after both teams won gold in Milan.
As players like Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman admitted, players “should have reacted differently.”
Tkachuk responded to a reporter’s question about the moment Trump said he would “have to” invite the women’s team, which also beat Canada at the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union or he would “probably be removed.”
“Yes, I understand” Tkachuk said When a reporter asked if he understood that the women’s team was unhappy with the men’s team’s response. “I have no other comment other than what we can control. We supported them. They supported us. I can’t control what other people say.”
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM
USA’s Brady Tkachuk (7) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrate after their game against Team Canada during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Tkachuk added that it was “fun” to be around the women’s team while in Milan.
“It was a lot of fun to see them play, it was fun to see how excellent they were in every game and how they were by far the best team in the tournament,” he said. “It was so much fun to see them after they picked their brains. They were picking our brains and it was so much fun to be around them.”
Tkachuk was asked a question about why he would laugh at Trump’s joke. He stood still.
“It was a whirlwind for a moment. You can’t really control what someone says and I think he got caught [us] “We were caught off guard a little bit,” he said. “I mean, when you talk to the president 10 minutes after achieving your dream, you’re actually talking to him.
“When you’re talking to the president of the United States after winning the gold medal, you can’t really believe that your life has come to this point.”
Tkachuk was with his U.S. teammates at Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, and the indoor team gave a standing ovation as the players showed off their Olympic gold medals.
The women’s team declined the invitation to Washington, D.C., citing “pre-planned academic and professional commitments.” In his State of the Union address, Trump said his women’s team would visit the White House “soon.”
Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men’s gold medal game against Canada at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy on February 22, 2026. (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
USA Hockey responded to Trump’s suggestion that the team would go to the White House.
“The players have returned to competition with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the middle of their seasons,” a USA Hockey spokesperson said. Front Office Sports. “They are honored and grateful to be invited, and their opportunities to visit the White House as a team will be determined by their schedules once the seasons conclude.”
While there was a difference of opinion on social media about this moment, Ellen Hughes, the mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes, who played a role in Team USA’s fate in Milan by being part of the player development team for the women’s team, did not seem too bothered by Trump’s comments.
“These players, both male and female, can bring a lot of unity to a group and a country,” he told “Today.” “The people cheering for this don’t watch hockey, they’re people with politics on one side or the other, and that’s all the men’s team and women’s team care about.
Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators during warm-ups before a game against the Nashville Predators at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on October 13, 2025. (André Ringuette/NHLI)
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“If you could see what we see from the inside, you know, dorm rooms, hallways, men and women sharing flexible floors, the camaraderie, the synergy, the way women cheer on men and the way men cheer on women — that’s what it’s all about,” he added.
“And other things they can’t control. They care about humanity. They care about unity and they care about the country.”
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports streaming on Xand subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
