Trump Invites U.S. Men's Hockey Team to State of the Union

President charges FBI Director Kash Patel with arranging travel plans for Olympic gold medalists.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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President Donald Trump invited the U.S. men's hockey team, fresh off their Olympic gold medal win, to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday. During a phone call with the team, Trump praised their success and said he would send a military plane or have Patel arrange their travel to Washington D.C. However, it's unclear if the players will actually be able to attend due to the tight turnaround before they must report back to their NHL teams.

Why it matters

Trump's invitation to the U.S. men's hockey team highlights the president's efforts to honor American athletes and leverage their success for political purposes. The move also raises questions about the logistics of getting the players to the State of the Union on short notice and whether it's appropriate for a government official like Patel to be involved in arranging their travel.

The details

In a phone call with the team, Trump praised their Olympic victory and said he wanted to 'send a military plane or something' to bring them to the State of the Union. He then put FBI Director Kash Patel, who was partying with the team in the locker room, in charge of arranging their travel to D.C. However, the players' regular NHL season is set to resume shortly after the Olympics, making it unclear if they'll actually be able to attend the event.

  • The U.S. men's hockey team won the Olympic gold medal on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
  • The State of the Union address is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who invited the U.S. men's hockey team to the State of the Union address.

Kash Patel

The FBI Director who was put in charge of arranging travel plans for the U.S. men's hockey team to attend the State of the Union.

Auston Matthews

The captain of the U.S. men's hockey team who acknowledged the uncertainty around whether the players would be able to attend the State of the Union.

Connor Hellebuyck

The goaltender for the U.S. men's hockey team who was praised by Trump for his performance in the Olympics.

Mike Sullivan

The head coach of the U.S. men's hockey team who spoke to reporters about Trump's phone call with the players.

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What they’re saying

“I just told my people ten minutes ago, we're giving the State of the Union speech on Tuesday night. If you would like to, it's the coolest night, it's the biggest speech.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States (The Daily Beast)

“We'll get Kash or we'll get the military to get you guys over.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States (The Daily Beast)

“Boys, we're going to the State of the Union!”

— Kash Patel, FBI Director (The Daily Beast)

“The players just had the president on, I don't know what it was, what do you call it, FaceTime, whatever, in the locker room.”

— Mike Sullivan, Head Coach, U.S. Men's Hockey Team (The Daily Beast)

“He just spoke to the group, expressing how proud he was of the group and congratulating everybody on the win.”

— Mike Sullivan, Head Coach, U.S. Men's Hockey Team (The Daily Beast)

What’s next

It is unclear whether the U.S. men's hockey team will actually be able to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday, as they are expected to report back to their NHL teams shortly after the Olympics.

The takeaway

Trump's invitation to the U.S. men's hockey team highlights his efforts to honor American athletes, but also raises questions about the logistics and appropriateness of having a government official like Kash Patel involved in arranging their travel plans on short notice.