Some moments land like a Rorschach test in American politics. Sunday night was one of them.
After Team USA stunned Canada with a 2–1 overtime victory to capture Olympic gold — the program’s first men’s hockey title in 46 years — President Donald Trump phoned into the jubilant locker room to congratulate the team. The scene was loud, celebratory, and unmistakably patriotic. Players shouted. Laughter filled the room. Even FBI Director Kash Patel, reportedly in attendance while in town on official business, joined the festivities.
You can hear the genuine pride in Donald Trumps voice when he called the Team USA Hockey Team pic.twitter.com/ch6GbXShwh
— Harrison Krank (@HarrisonKrank) February 23, 2026
For supporters, it was vintage Trump: informal, enthusiastic, and fully leaning into the symbolism of an American triumph on the world stage. For critics, it was something else entirely — political theater layered onto a sports moment.
On the call, Trump praised the team’s performance and singled out the goaltender in particular. “You’re going to be proud of that game for 50 years,” he told them, reflecting the generational weight of the win. He floated the idea of inviting the team to attend the State of the Union address and hosting them at the White House the following day. In a moment of levity, he joked that he would likely face backlash if he failed to invite the gold-medal-winning women’s team as well.
You can hear the genuine pride in Donald Trumps voice when he called the Team USA Hockey Team pic.twitter.com/ch6GbXShwh
— Harrison Krank (@HarrisonKrank) February 23, 2026
The locker room response was exuberant. Players bantered about attending the speech. The mood was celebratory rather than scripted — a snapshot of athletes reveling in a long-awaited victory.
The backlash, however, was swift. Some commentators questioned whether the president was injecting politics into sports. Others criticized the optics of senior officials participating in the celebration. Defenders countered that leaders across administrations have long congratulated championship teams and appeared at major sporting events, framing the call as a continuation of tradition rather than a departure from it.
I do not think the lefties at @MSNOW quite understand the impact of this video on the standing of @FBIDirectorKash https://t.co/ynkoTPPnPE
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) February 23, 2026
The divide reflects a broader cultural split. For many Americans, international athletic victories carry emotional resonance that transcends party lines. For others, any presidential involvement becomes inseparable from political context.
“His office insisted this was strictly a business trip” – BS. That is not what happened. You tried to claim Kash only went to Italy for hockey. I responded 2/19 outlining the meetings we had scheduled and said any other personal expenses would be reimbursed. Here’s the email. https://t.co/zgiK9wAMxd pic.twitter.com/5t8JXk70u5
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) February 23, 2026
What is not disputed is the magnitude of the achievement. Team USA had not claimed Olympic men’s hockey gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. The overtime winner against Canada marked a historic milestone for a new generation of players.
