Hilary Knight Says Trump's Joke Overshadows Women's Olympic Gold
U.S. women's hockey captain Hilary Knight called President Trump's locker-room joke 'distasteful' and urged focus on the team's Milan Cortina gold and broader U.S. women's Olympic success.
Overview
Hilary Knight said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump's locker-room joke was "distasteful" and that it is overshadowing the U.S. women's Olympic hockey team's gold medal.
The remark occurred during a locker-room call in which Trump invited the men's team to the State of the Union and joked he would be "impeached" if he failed to invite the women's team.
Goaltender Jeremy Swayman said the men's team "should have reacted differently," while Kelly Pannek called the video "what it is" and emphasized mutual respect between the teams.
The U.S. won 12 gold medals in Milan Cortina with women contributing to eight, and Knight's Olympic totals of 15 goals and 33 points are the most by a U.S. hockey player.
USA Hockey said logistical issues prevented a White House stop after the team rerouted through Atlanta due to a snowstorm, and the earliest visit could be in late spring after the PWHL season.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by foregrounding Hilary Knight's critique and using evaluative language such as 'distasteful joke' and 'backlash' in headlines and ledes. They prioritize women’s reactions, present men's comments as secondary context, and structure coverage to stress that the president's remark overshadowed the women's gold.
Sources (17)
FAQ
During a call with the U.S. men's hockey team, Trump joked that he would have to invite the women's team too, saying 'I must tell you, we're gonna have to bring the women's team' and 'I do believe I probably would be impeached' if he didn't.
Hilary Knight called the joke 'distasteful' and said it overshadowed the U.S. women's Olympic gold medal feats and the strong bond between the men's and women's teams.
Jeremy Swayman said the men's team 'should've reacted differently,' expressed excitement and respect for the women's team, and gratitude for sharing the gold medal.
USA Hockey cited logistical issues, including a reroute through Atlanta due to a snowstorm, preventing a White House stop; the earliest visit could be late spring after the PWHL season.
History
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