Team USA women’s hockey stars turn down White House invite amid controversy over Trump’s call with the men
The USA’s women’s hockey team have turned down President Trump’s offer to join their male counterparts at the State of the Union on Tuesday night.
Both gold medal-winning teams have been invited to the event by the President after their stunning triumphs in Italy but it now appears that only the men will be there.
‘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,’ a USA hockey spokesperson was quoted as saying by NBC.
‘They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.’
They will not be attending, however, ‘due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments’.
The women’s team won their gold before the men but Trump only extended his invitation when the men beat Canada 2-1 in overtime on Sunday, saying he’d be impeached if he didn’t include the women’s team too.
Donald Trump will not be joined by USA’s women’s hockey team for the State of the Union
The American women also clinched gold before the men at the Winter Olympics
On a call to the men’s team in their locker room in Milan, Trump said: ‘I can send a military plane or something. If you would like to, it’s the coolest night.
‘We will do the White House the next day, we will just have some fun, we have medals for you guys.’
He added: ‘We have, I must tell you, we are going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that. I do believe I would probably be impeached (if he didn’t invite them).’
The men’s team immediately accepted Trump’s offer to join, with some laughing at his joke about impeachment.
Lexi LaFleur Brown, the wife of former NHL star JT Brown and hockey novelist, led the backlash as she highlighted the female athletes’ achievement in the face of the obstacles they have overcome in their careers.
‘You can make history, can represent ur (sic) country at the highest level, can inspire a nation of girls to dream, & they will still laugh in ur (sic) face,’ she wrote on social meda.
‘Every woman knows this feeling & it’s why we persist. Keep laughing while women’s hockey is one of the fastest-growing sports globally.’
Trump was said to be considering a trip to Italy to watch the final but ultimately decided against it.
Kash Patel was in Milan for Sunday’s final and he headed into the locker room to join in the celebrations, with a video appearing to show the FBI director chugging a beer and partying with the players.
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