Logistics said to have played big role in USA women's ice hockey team's decision to decline Donald Trump invite
Trump also invited the USA men's gold medal-winning team
United States president had joked about being impeached if he didn't invite women's team
The Winter Olympics gold medal-winning women's ice hockey team of United States of America has declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend his State of the Union address on Tuesday (February 24, 2026).
“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,” the USA women's team said in a statement.
“Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
Trump also invited the USA men's gold medal-winning team.
Scheduling will be difficult as the NHL regular season resumes with five games on Wednesday and the Professional Women's Hockey League resumes on Thursday.
Logistics reportedly played a role in the decision, as many of the women players were not scheduled to arrive in North America until Monday evening (US time). The men’s team flew by charter to Miami earlier Monday. The women took a commercial flight and were scheduled to land in Atlanta.
An Associated Press report quoted a source as saying that the women’s players didn’t learn of the invite until late Sunday night, making it difficult to change their travel plans.
When extending the invitation to the men’s team on Sunday night, Trump said, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that." Trump added that if he did not also invite the women’s team, “I do believe I probably would be impeached."
The recently concluded Olympics featured two thrilling medal finals, both ending in overtime, with the American women beating Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on Thursday. Their male counterparts beat Canada on Sunday.
“It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been amazing. It’s a dream of ours, it was such an amazing way to unite the country,” Matthew Tkachuk of the US men's team said after arriving in Miami.
“We felt the support being across the Atlantic and now being back on home soil we could feel it the second the wheels hit the ground. So excited to be back in the greatest country in the world and so excited to celebrate.”
Tkachuk said it was an honor to hear from Trump after the win. “And so we are definitely honored to represent him and the millions and millions across the country.”
The country's vice president JD Vance attended two of the USA women's preliminary round wins with his family over the first week of the Games.
(With AP inputs)
