The U.S. men's hockey team's gold medal celebration quickly turned controversial after a locker room phone call from President Donald Trump, and footage of FBI Director Kash Patel included a sexist remark about the women's team, one that players appeared to laugh off.
Trump's locker room call to the men's Olympic hockey panned as "mysoginistic"
Trump phoned the locker room via Patel and invited the men to attend his State of the Union on Tuesday. Then, he floated sending a military plane to pick them up.
He rambled for a while and told the men they "[didn't] have to worry about the weather" because he's president, as if that has anything to do with weather conditions while flying.
Then he said the thing that set off a firestorm of angry social media posts. "I must tell you we’re going to have to bring the women too; you do know that. Believe me, I probably would be impeached, okay?"
The men's hockey team didn't call out the sexist statement, even though the women's U.S. hockey team also won their gold medal game, and has won more medals in the Winter Olympics than the men by a long shot.
Not only did the players not call out the sexism, but they laughed along with him, including game-winning goalmaker Jack Hughes. Jack and Quinn Hughes's mother, Ellen, works with the women’s program and was a silver medalist hockey player in the 1992 World Championship.
People were also extremely confused by Patel's presence in the locker room, though he claimed on social media that the team invited him.
Social media reacted with anger and disbelief
Online, people responded quickly and harshly to the footage.
On X, @wyjoenthusiast asked Team USA, "Do you have anything to say about the scene in your men’s team’s locker room where the women’s team who made history in multiple ways and delivered you a gold medal was insulted and mocked and turned into a misogynistic punch line?"
Meanwhile, @ilyasamsHOEnov wrote, "USA men’s team wins their first gold medal in 40 years and the first thing they do is go back to the locker room and party with Kash f*cking Patel."
Others focused on the laughter. @paigeblockers said the video "made me sick," adding that women were framed "as a burden."
@bucketsnbooks wrote, "women in this country deserve so much f*cking better."
On Threads, @sankirtanam congratulated the men "on winning gold and being the biggest losers of the Olympic Games. Quite the accomplishment."
Several posts singled out specific players. @mk_lobb said, "I never got around to finding out who Quinn Hughes was and now I don’t care."
@kdubdubs shared their disappointment in the men, saying, "What kills me is the US Men’s hockey team brought out Johnny Gaudreau’s daughter for the photo op and turned around and effectively laughed at the idea of her ever playing the sport her dad loved at the level he dreamed of."
Later, people noticed deleted Instagram Stories and social media posts. @mommymemejeans wrote, "Dont they know the internet is forever?"
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