WASHINGTON — The gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team has politely declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend his State of the Union address Tuesday.
“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 team said in a statement released Monday. “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.”
Trump also invited the gold-medal-winning U.S. men’s team.
Scheduling will be a challenge as the NHL regular season resumes with five games Wednesday and the PWHL resumes Thursday.
Logistics played a role in the decision, as many of the women’s players were not scheduled to arrive in North America until Monday evening. The men’s team flew by charter to Miami earlier Monday. The women took a commercial flight and were scheduled to land in Atlanta.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the women’s players didn’t learn of the invitation until late Sunday, making it difficult to change their travel plans. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the team’s travel plans.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of both teams.
When extending the invitation to the men’s team Sunday night, Trump said, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.” Trump joked that if he did not also invite the women’s team, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
The Olympic tournament featured two thrilling finals, both ending in overtime, with the American women beating Canada 2-1 in the gold-medal game Thursday and the U.S. men beating Canada 2-1 on Sunday.
“It’s been a whirlwind. It’s been amazing. It’s a dream of ours. It was such an amazing way to unite the country,” Matthew Tkachuk of the U.S. men’s team said after arriving in Miami.
“We felt the support being across the Atlantic, and now being back on home soil we could feel it the second the wheels hit the ground. So excited to be back in the greatest country in the world and so excited to celebrate.”
Tkachuk said it was an honor to hear from Trump after the win, “and so we are definitely honored to represent him and the millions and millions across the country.”
Vice President JD Vance attended two of the U.S. women’s preliminary-round wins with his family during the first week of the Games.
AP’s Stephen Whyno, Charles Odum in Atlanta and Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed.
John Wawrow, Melissa Goldin
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