Team USA goalie admits the locker room shouldn’t have laughed at Trump’s joke about the women’s team, and he’s not hiding it

Team USA backup goalie Jeremy Swayman has admitted that the men’s Olympic hockey team should have reacted differently when President Trump made a joke about the women’s team during a celebratory phone call. Laughter was heard in the locker room after the comment was made.

The moment happened during President Donald Trump’s phone call with the men’s team after they won gold. Trump remarked that he would “have” to invite the women’s team, who also won gold by beating Canada, to the State of the Union, and then joked that he “probably would be impeached” if he didn’t. Some players laughed at the remark.

According to Fox News, Swayman spoke to reporters and was open about his regret. He stated plainly, “We should have reacted differently.” He also made clear that the men’s team has deep respect for the women’s team and said they are “forever grateful for” sharing the Olympic gold medal moment with them.

The players’ actions showed the real bond between the two teams

Brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes also spoke about the strong connection between the men’s and women’s teams throughout the Olympics. Jack Hughes said his first thought after scoring the game-winning puck was of Megan Keller, who had scored the golden goal for the women’s team against Canada three days earlier. 

Quinn Hughes said it was “amazing to spend some time” with the women’s team in the Olympic village. It’s worth noting that Team USA’s reception at the Winter Olympics was not without its controversies from the very start. The women’s team initially declined an invitation to Washington, D.C., due to scheduling conflicts, but President Trump has said they will visit the White House at a later date.

Ellen Hughes, mother of Jack and Quinn and a former Team USA player herself, said she wasn’t too bothered by Trump’s comments. She appeared on a morning show and said she believes the players care about bringing people together, regardless of political views or whether people typically follow hockey. The Team USA celebration also drew attention from other corners, with FBI Director Kash Patel joining the festivities in Milan, Italy, amid an unfolding crisis back home.

Ellen Hughes described what she witnessed between both teams firsthand: “If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women, that’s what it’s all about.” She added that the players cannot control outside comments and instead focus on humanity, unity, and their country.