President Donald Trump has reportedly invited both of the gold medal-winning Team USA hockey teams for a White House visit following their Olympic glory. But with the women's team respectfully declining the invitation and a social media firestorm ensuing, Olympic hero Jack Hughes is playing defense for the women.
Hughes lost a couple of teeth in Sunday's gold medal performance, which saw him score the game-winning goal in overtime to secure Team USA's first gold in men's hockey since 1980. Naturally, he was asked about the team's upcoming visit to the White House, which has him pumped.
"Everything is so political. We're athletes, we're proud to represent the US. And when you get the chance to go the White House to meet the president, we're proud to be Americans and that’s so patriotic. No matter your views are, we're super excited to go to the White House and be part of that," Hughes said, via TMZ.
When the topic moved to the women's decision to decline the invitation due to "academic and professional commitments," Hughes dismissed the critics. The New Jersey Devils superstar said that people are just trying to make others feel bad and "make something out of almost nothing."
“People are so negative out there,” he said. “They’re just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing.”
© Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Declining the Invite
The initial headlines about the women's ice hockey team declining the invitation left out the prior obligations and commitments, so many of the first responses either praised them for making a political statement or admonished them for the same reason.
In the end though, every political reaction has some kind of opposing reaction. President Trump and other presidents in general can hardly put on a tie without it causing some kind of mass outpouring of support or mockery from friends and foes.
At the end of the day, the two hockey teams will be remembered for their Olympic glory for generations to come - not for the White House visit they may or may not have taken afterwards.