(AFP) – US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was giving the nation’s highest civilian honor to national ice hockey team goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck as he honored the squad at his State of the Union address to Congress. The Presidential Medal of Freedom has been given to popes and political activists, and also Olympic athletes in the past.
Trump’s embrace of the men’s team came as the women’s side, which also won gold at the recently concluded Winter Olympics, declined an invitation to the speech. “Here with us is a group of winners,” Trump said as the hockey team entered Congress — the players wearing their gold medals around their necks — to chants of “USA, USA, USA!”
“Great athletes have gotten that,” Trump said of the award. “I thought he deserved it.” Hellebuyck stood out in the men’s 2-1 gold medal win over Canada with 41 blocked shots, including a spectacular behind-the-back save.
The women’s team said earlier Tuesday it had declined the invitation to the State of the Union, though Trump said in his speech they “will soon be coming to the White House.” A statement from USA Hockey, the sport’s national governing body, sent to AFP Tuesday said the players were “unable to participate” in the State of the Union due to prior commitments. Team USA’s women’s team won gold for the first time since 2018 when they beat the Canadians Thursday, also 2-1.
The US men’s team followed that up Sunday with their own ice hockey gold for the first time in 46 years. In a video shared online soon after the win, Trump can be heard on speaker phone in a call with the men’s team, inviting them to the address before saying: “We’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?” to which the players laugh.
“I do believe I would probably be impeached” if he didn’t invite them, the president added. Some 20 members of the men’s team arrived at the White House Tuesday afternoon, ahead of that evening’s speech at the Capitol, wearing Team USA sweaters.
The statement on behalf of the women’s team said: “We are sincerely grateful for the invitation,” but that the players would not be attending “due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” At least five members of the men’s team also did not attend, according to US media reports, with players saying they were heading back to their NHL teams for training.
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