The fallout from President Donald Trump's congratulatory call with the U.S. men's hockey team has sparked a heated debate - but the Hughes brothers, Jack and Quinn, are stepping up to defend their teammates. What this really means is a complex web of politics, patriotism, and the high-stakes world of Olympic competition.
A Locker Room Call Gone Viral
After the U.S. men's hockey team's dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada to capture the Olympic gold medal, Trump placed a celebratory call to the locker room. In the now-viral video, the president can be heard joking with the players, saying he would "have to bring the women's team" as well, and that he "probably would be impeached" for doing so.
This comment, combined with the players' laughter in response, drew swift criticism from those who felt it was disrespectful to the U.S. women's hockey team, which had also won gold in a dominant performance. As Yahoo Sports reports, the reaction sparked a social media firestorm and accusations that the men's team had somehow diminished the women's achievement.
The Hughes Brothers Weigh In
But in an appearance on "Good Morning America," Quinn Hughes, a member of the U.S. men's hockey team, pushed back against the criticism. As CNN noted, Hughes said the men's team was "really happy" for the women's team and that they had trained together in recent summers, getting to know the players well.
"I'm glad you mentioned the women's team again," Hughes said. "We're really happy for them. [There's] a lot going around on social media right now surrounding our team and their team, but in the last couple summers, we did a lot of training with them and got to know a lot of those girls really well."
An Invitation to the State of the Union
Putting the controversy aside, the bigger picture here is that Trump has now invited the U.S. men's hockey team to attend Tuesday's State of the Union address as his honored guests. The New York Times reported that the president made the invitation in a locker room phone call, praising the team's "unbelievable" performance and suggesting he could send a military plane to transport them to Washington.
This marks the first time a U.S. men's hockey team has won Olympic gold since the iconic "Miracle on Ice" victory in 1980. The team's triumph, capped by Jack Hughes' dramatic overtime goal, has captivated the nation - and now they'll have the chance to bask in the spotlight at one of the biggest political events of the year.
As the Hughes brothers and their teammates prepare to take center stage at the State of the Union, the focus will undoubtedly shift from the controversial Trump call to the team's remarkable achievement and the chance to celebrate American dominance on the global stage.