The White House invited the U.S. women’shockeyteam to attend PresidentDonald Trump'sState of the Unionon Tuesday, but the players said they are unable to attend.
A spokesperson for the team told NBC News' Monica Alba that the team, which won the gold medal at the 2026Winter OlympicsinItaly, was "sincerely grateful" for the recognition, but the players are unable to attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
President Trump is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24, speaking before a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol. The annual speech, required by the Constitution, allows the president to outline the administration’s priorities and assess the state of the nation.
Trump invited the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team to attendthe State of the Union after its gold‑medal victory Sunday over Canada at the Milan‑Cortina Winter Games, but it remains unclear whether the players will attend. While the team accepted the invitation during a phone call with the president, scheduling and travel logistics following the Olympics have not been finalized.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. men's hockey team
Women’s ice hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, marking the first time the sport was included on the women’s Olympic program. The United States won the inaugural gold medal, and the event has been a fixture of every Winter Olympics since.
Several days before the men's team,the U.S. women also defeated rival Canadain overtime to claim gold in Italy.
This is abreaking newsstory. Updates to follow.
Source: Drudge Report
