Olympic Hockey Team Gets Hero's Welcome at State of the Union

The U.S. men's Olympic hockey team traded their locker room celebration for America's biggest stage Tuesday night, attending the State of the Union address with gold medals gleaming around their necks.

The team received a thunderous welcome as they entered the House chamber wearing USA sweaters. Lawmakers and guests broke into spontaneous "U-S-A" chants that echoed through the historic room.

The invitation came in the most unforgettable way possible. Trump called the locker room Sunday night, just minutes after the team's dramatic 2-1 overtime win against Canada, with FBI Director Kash Patel holding the phone.

"It's the coolest night, it's the biggest speech," Trump told the celebrating players. Before he could finish his pitch, one player interrupted with two words: "We're in."

Trump arranged a military plane to fly the team from their Miami celebration to Washington. "We don't care if it's snowing or if it's the worst blizzard," he promised. "We'll be sailing through like you did on the ice."

Several players met with Trump at the White House before the address. Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk even let the president try on his gold medal in a lighthearted moment in the Oval Office.

"I'm not giving it back," Trump joked while wearing the medal.

During the speech, Trump announced he would award goaltender Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the nation's highest civilian honors. He also acknowledged the women's hockey team, who won their own gold medal and will visit the White House soon.

Why This Inspires

This moment shows how sports can unite an entire nation, bringing people together regardless of background or belief. The team's immediate "yes" to the president's invitation showed genuine patriotism and excitement to represent their country beyond the ice.

The scene of young athletes standing in Congress, medals around their necks while lawmakers chanted for America, reminded everyone what's possible when people work together toward a common goal.

Not every player could attend due to NHL commitments ramping up again, but those who made the trip created a memory that transcends sports. From overtime victory to the halls of Congress in just 48 hours, these athletes gave Americans something rare: a pure, joyful moment of national pride.