Team USA Captain Hilary Knight Calls Trump's Joke 'Distasteful'

Knight responds to the president's viral phone call with the U.S. men's ice hockey team.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Hilary Knight, captain of the U.S. women's hockey team, criticized Donald Trump's joke about the women's team during his viral phone call with the U.S. men's ice hockey team. Knight called the president's comments 'distasteful' and said it was an unfortunate way to represent women's accomplishments in sports.

Why it matters

Knight's comments highlight the ongoing challenges women athletes face in gaining equal recognition and respect for their achievements. As the captain of the U.S. women's hockey team, her perspective provides important insight into how Trump's remarks were perceived by female athletes.

The details

During a press conference, Knight said she thought Trump's joke was 'distasteful and unfortunate' and that it was not her responsibility to explain someone else's behavior. Both the U.S. men's and women's ice hockey teams won gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics. In a viral phone call, Trump invited the men's team to the White House and the State of the Union, joking that they would 'have to bring the women's team' and that he 'probably would be impeached' if they didn't.

  • The U.S. men's and women's ice hockey teams won gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
  • On February 22, 2026, Trump called the U.S. men's hockey team in their locker room to invite them to the White House and State of the Union.
  • Trump made his joke about the women's team during the February 22, 2026 phone call with the U.S. men's hockey team.
  • Knight responded to Trump's comments during a press conference on February 27, 2026.

The players

Hilary Knight

The captain of the U.S. women's hockey team.

Donald Trump

The 79-year-old former president of the United States.

Kash Patel

The FBI Director who joined the U.S. men's hockey team's locker room call with Trump.

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What they’re saying

“No, I just thought the joke was distasteful and unfortunate. I think just the way women are represented – it's a great teaching point to really shine light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats.”

— Hilary Knight, Captain, U.S. Women's Hockey Team (Access)

The takeaway

Knight's criticism of Trump's remarks highlights the ongoing challenges women athletes face in gaining equal recognition and respect for their accomplishments. Her perspective as the captain of the U.S. women's hockey team provides important insight into how such comments are perceived by female athletes and the need to champion women's sports achievements.