MILAN — Hilary Knight, captain of the United States Olympic women’s hockey team, has publicly criticized Donald Trump over a White House comment she described as a “distasteful joke,” made in the wake of Team USA’s historic double gold medal performance at the Winter Olympics.

The controversy arose after President Trump phoned the U.S. men’s hockey team to congratulate them on their dramatic 2–1 overtime victory against Canada in the Olympic gold medal game. During the locker room celebration, the president remarked that the women’s team would also need to be invited to the White House, joking that he would “probably be impeached” if they were not. The comment drew laughter from some players present.

In an interview with ESPN, Knight said the remark detracted from what should have been a defining celebration of women’s excellence on the Olympic stage. She underscored that the women’s gold medal — secured with her crucial late equalizer in Milan — marked the program’s third Olympic title and a landmark achievement for USA Hockey.

The women’s team had previously declined an invitation to attend the president’s State of the Union address, citing academic and professional obligations.

The exchange gained national attention after locker room footage circulated widely online, prompting debate across social media platforms. U.S. men’s goaltender Jeremy Swayman later acknowledged that the team’s reaction in the moment could have been handled differently and expressed respect for the women’s program.

Forward Jack Hughes, who scored the overtime game-winner in the men’s gold medal match, emphasized that the team’s focus had been on celebrating its achievement. He noted that differing perspectives were inevitable but highlighted the pride shared across both teams in securing a rare double gold milestone for American hockey.

The dual victories represent a historic moment for U.S. hockey, marking one of the few times both the men’s and women’s programs have captured Olympic gold in the same Games.