Fans of the USA hockey team broke out into celebration when the men’s team won the final match against Canada in overtime, 2-1. The USA men’s team snatched gold in the Milano Cortina Olympics for the first time in 46 years.
Just a few hours after the win, a leaked video showed the team in the locker room being congratulated by President Donald Trump through a phone call. He also extended the team an invite to the State of the Union address scheduled for just two days later.
But what he said next sparked public backlash.
“I must tell you, we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said. “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
The statement was followed by immediate laughter from everyone in the room.
The U.S.A women’s national team, which had won gold just a couple of days prior, ended up declining Trump’s invitation with a post on social media.
“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 women’s team said. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”
In addition, videos later surfaced showing FBI Director Kash Patel in the men’s locker room, chugging beer as members of the team cheered. This brought surprise and scrutiny as to why the FBI director was in the locker room to begin with.
Was the situation uncalled for? Or did the team feel forced by Trump’s comment? In an age where fake news seems to pop up everywhere, it can be hard to know what to trust. Here are two opinions on the story:
The U.S men’s hockey team’s reaction to the comment was forced.
Imagine that after a 46-year medal drought, your team defeats your rival at the Olympics, coincidentally the same day of the “Miracle on Ice” game in which your country previously defeated the Soviet Union in 1980. Emotions running high, drunk off the post-game alcohol, your next actions cause the special day to be tainted with labels of misogyny.
Sure enough, the exact scenario has happened to the USA men’s hockey team. But was it really their fault?
Allegedly, members of Team USA invited Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, into the locker room to join the celebration, according to Patel in a post on X.
Though when he presents the president on a phone call, who makes an uncomfortable statement, what do you do? You laugh, as everyone else in the room does.
After a video of the scene is leaked, your team faces major backlash from the public, labeling you as misogynistic.
The USA men’s hockey team felt forced to respond in the way they did to the president. That isn’t to say that Trump’s comment was justified, but the players felt vulnerable and responded in the only way they felt fit: agreement.
This is a clear example of the bandwagon effect— a psychological phenomenon that occurs when people do something, mainly because others are doing it, regardless of their own beliefs. Especially when you’re drunk, you don’t have much control over your thoughts or your actions.
After living out their lifelong olympic dream, they found themselves being addressed by an important political figure. With thoughts and excitement swirling around their head, anybody would have just nodded along and agreed. After all, they were talking to the president of the United States.
The U.S. men’s hockey team’s reaction was uncalled for and misogynistic.
The comments from the president and men’s hockey team were greatly uncalled for. When the leaked videos from the locker room hit social media, they caused mass outrage—and rightfully so.
Not only did the team laugh along with Trump, but when frustrated citizens called for them to turn down the invitation, going so far as to circulate online petitions, they ignored it. 20 out of the 25 members made the trip to D.C., and 17 attended the State of the Union address, where they were welcomed by the president himself.
As any Olympian might know, the work it takes to get to the games is in no way easy. Every member on the women’s team had dedicated countless hours chasing their dreams through hard work, determination and sacrifice.
Their achievements should have been celebrated and recognized. Instead, they were treated as unimportant and a hassle by the President of the United States, arguably one of the most prominent people of the country they represented.
Women’s sports have always been treated as inferior to men’s. From pay gap inequalities to lack of broadcasting to blunt comments from the media and public, they are constantly being hidden in the shadows.
Especially in a sport as male-dominated as hockey, women are always being overlooked and unappreciated. That doesn’t make it right. The women’s Olympic team earned every right the men‘s team did after their victory over Canada just days before.
They deserve the same acknowledgement.
