US Olympic Hockey Team Praised for Meeting with Trump

Mainstream media criticized for backlash against team's interaction with president

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The US Olympic hockey team has faced criticism from some media outlets for meeting with former President Trump after winning the gold medal. Critics claim the interaction with Trump 'normalizes' him, but supporters argue it is a normal tradition for champions to meet the president, regardless of political affiliation.

Why it matters

This controversy highlights the growing political divide in the US, where even innocuous interactions between athletes and political figures have become polarizing. It raises questions about the role of sports and athletes in the political sphere, and whether they have an obligation to avoid associating with certain political figures.

The details

After the US Olympic hockey team defeated Canada to win the gold medal, some members of the team met with former President Trump, shaking his hand and accepting medals from him. This drew criticism from columnists like Jerry Brewer of The New York Times, who argued the team was 'normalizing' Trump and his 'cruel instincts and crude jokes.' However, supporters of the team, like Robby Soave, say meeting the president is a normal tradition for champions, regardless of political affiliation, and that Trump is now a 'normal' political figure since he won the election.

  • The US Olympic hockey team defeated Canada to win the gold medal in February 2026.
  • The team met with former President Trump shortly after their victory.

The players

US Olympic Hockey Team

The US men's ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Olympics, defeating Canada for the first time in 40 years.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who met with the US Olympic hockey team after their gold medal victory.

Jerry Brewer

A columnist for The New York Times' Athletic subsection who criticized the US hockey team for meeting with Trump.

Robby Soave

A co-host of The Hill's commentary show 'Rising' and a senior editor for Reason Magazine, who defended the hockey team's interaction with Trump.

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What they’re saying

“These champions have agency. In the afterglow of triumph, they have more agency than they ever will. They should be wary of giving it away so casually.”

— Jerry Brewer, Columnist, The New York Times (The New York Times)

“Supporters of Trump are the majority of the country. He won the election and the popular vote. Trump is normal now. Sorry about that.”

— Robby Soave, Co-host, The Hill's 'Rising'; Senior Editor, Reason Magazine (The Hill)

What’s next

The controversy over the US Olympic hockey team's interaction with former President Trump is likely to continue, with both sides debating the appropriateness and implications of such meetings between athletes and political figures.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the deep political divisions in the US, where even seemingly innocuous interactions between sports champions and the president have become polarizing. It raises questions about the role of athletes in the political sphere and whether they have an obligation to avoid associating with certain political figures, even if it is a longstanding tradition.