USA Men's Hockey Team Receives Muted Welcome After Olympic Gold

HuffPost criticizes the team's reception at the Miami airport, citing their phone call with President Trump

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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While the USA men's hockey team's triumphant return to the US after winning Olympic gold was celebrated by most Americans, the Huffington Post took issue with the 'lukewarm' reception the team received at the Miami airport. The article criticizes the team's phone call with President Trump after their win, claiming it 'ruined' the hero's welcome they should have received.

Why it matters

The HuffPost's negative framing of the team's airport reception highlights the continued political divisions in the US, where even a major athletic achievement can become a partisan issue. This reflects the broader challenges of maintaining national unity and celebrating shared accomplishments in a polarized climate.

The details

The HuffPost article describes the team's arrival at Miami International Airport as receiving only 'sporadic praise' and 'shouts of 'USA!' from onlookers, despite the article omitting details of the water cannon salute the team's plane received and the sizable contingent of people there to greet them. The article then bizarrely attributes this 'underwhelming reception' to the team's congratulatory phone call with President Trump, in which Trump invited them to the White House and offered them military transport to his State of the Union address.

  • The USA men's hockey team won the Olympic gold medal in an overtime victory over Canada on Sunday, February 23, 2026.
  • The team arrived at Miami International Airport on Monday, February 24, 2026.

The players

USA Men's Hockey Team

The US national men's ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

President Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who spoke with the hockey team after their Olympic victory.

Kash Patel

The FBI Director who was present on the phone call between the hockey team and President Trump.

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What they’re saying

“Considering that this is the first time in 46 years the men's team has won gold at the global sporting event, one would assume they'd receive a hero's welcome. But, thanks to a gross exchange the team had with President Donald Trump after their big win, they got more of a zero's welcome.”

— Huffington Post (Huffington Post)

What’s next

The team is scheduled to visit the White House and attend President Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 25, 2026 to celebrate their Olympic victory.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the continued political divisions in the US, where even a major athletic achievement can become a partisan issue and overshadow the team's historic accomplishment. It reflects the broader challenges of maintaining national unity and celebrating shared successes in a polarized climate.