Fans of the U.S. men’s ice hockey team have felt the full run of emotions along with the national team over the past several days as Team USA victoriously defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime with a game-winning goal by team star Jack Hughes. However, many fans are now seeming to turn on the team after a viral video was leaked of the team’s call with President Trump following their gold medal success at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
In the clip that has circulated over the past 24 hours, the men’s national team is heard laughing after President Trump makes a condescending joke about how he would be impeached if he didn’t begrudgingly invite the U.S. women’s team – who also won gold in overtime against Canada with an identical 2-1 final score – to The White House along with the men’s side. The reactions from fans has been swift and strong.
A post shared by Matthew Tkachuk (@matthew_tkachuk)
Taking to individual members of the U.S. men’s hockey team’s social media accounts, fans immediately began expressing their raw thoughts and feelings about the controversial phone call the men’s team had with President Trump after their gold medal match against Canada.
On Matthew Tkachuk’s Instagram account, fans commented beneath a photo Tkachuck posted of the men’s team posing with their gold medals and the American flag following their Olympic victory on the ice. Among the comments on Tkachuck’s post, user @luludavilita wrote, “So disappointing to see you guys laugh at the womens team and not join them in celebration as a united front. What is a medal when you really dont represent the country well in that sense?”
User @anchorage_lass_ka wrote, “Your team is the perfect example of: ‘winning isn’t everything’” and beneath that comment user @megkida said, “100%. At the end of day, character when no one is watching is what matters most.” The latter comment references the fact that the U.S. men’s hockey team and President Trump were likely unaware that their phone call would be leaked.
GettyPlayers of Team United States celebrate a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Men’s Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
GettyPlayers of Team United States celebrate a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Men’s Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
Majority of new comments from social media users on recent posts of Team USA’s hockey success posted by the men’s team have focused on the feelings fans have about the team’s controversial phone call with President Trump rather than the team’s Olympic win in Italy.
A post shared by @jackhughes
Jack Hughes scored the winning goal for the United States in the final match against Canada, but now his Olympic success is being overshadowed in the wake of the controversial call by the fact that his mother has worked to advance women in the sport of ice hockey. On Hughes’ Instagram account, user @clairemburrow commented, “Laughing at a joke about the US Women’s hockey team is so gross considering what your mom does.” and user @klaroxa wrote, “How does your mother feel about you laughing about the joke of “having to invite the women’s team” when she is the sole reason you are even here in the first place?”
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Amanda Vining Amanda Vining is a career journalist with over 20 years of experience covering news for digital publications. More about Amanda Vining
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