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Team USA Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes has spoken out about his support for his country’s women’s hockey team after his team faced backlash for laughing at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s team.
During an interview Friday on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” Hughes spoke about his respect for the women’s team after McAfee appeared to reference the controversy by joking that Hughes and his teammates “hated” the players.
“We hang out with them so much, the women’s team. We supported them. We were at their games, they were at our games,” Hughes said.
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Jack Hughes of the United States celebrates after a gold medal against Canada at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games on February 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Hughes then appeared to address recent criticism of his team for their response to Trump’s joke.
“Like all these people talking, how many of them watched their gold medal game? Quinn Hughes and I were at the game. We were there until overtime ended on the glass, and we were jumping up and down, so excited for these girls, so excited that they won,” Hughes said.
“And how many of those people watched the gold medal game, watched their semifinal game? Like, 10 of our 10 players went to their round robin game. We supported them so much and we’re so proud of them. We’re so happy that they won and that they brought home a gold medal and that, you know, I said it, the men’s and women’s teams both brought home gold medals. So, simply incredible for American hockey.”
Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Canada to win gold, reflected on her interaction with the U.S. women’s team player who did the same, Megan Keller.
“She and I had a great time in the cafeteria after her gold medal game. We played Slovakia the next night, and it was like a late game. And we were in the pasta line — me and Megan. They were just getting ready to go out, and I just gave her a huge hug, and I said, ‘I’m so happy for you. I’m so proud of you,'” Hughes said.
“A few nights later, I saw her again in the [cafeteria]and we took a great picture and, uh, she just gave me a big hug and she was so excited for me too.”
Hughes told reporters after the game that the first thing he thought of when the puck went in was Keller, who had scored the U.S. women’s team’s golden goal against Canada three days earlier.
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The controversy surrounding the men’s team stems from a locker room phone call between the players and Trump just after their gold medal victory over Canada.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s competition State of the Union address that he “should” invite the women’s team, otherwise “I’d probably be fired.” The team laughed in response, causing immense backlash.
Several mainstream media outlets wrote opinion pieces condemning the men’s team for laughing at the joke and then going to the White House to celebrate Trump’s State of the Union address.
Jack Hughes (86) of the United States, who scored the winning goal in overtime, celebrates after beating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
U.S. women’s hockey team captain Hilary Knight said on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” Wednesday that Trump’s “nasty joke” had “overshadowed”[ed]”the success of women.
“I thought it was kind of a tasteless joke and unfortunately it overshadows a lot of the success, the success of women in the Olympics wearing for Team USA and winning incredible gold medals,” Knight said.
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“We’re just focused on celebrating the women in our gym, extraordinary efforts, and continuing to celebrate three gold medals in the history of the program as well as the men’s and women’s double gold at the same time. And let’s really not take that away with a bad joke.”
Hughes’ mother, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current player development team member, said the players only cared about “bringing[ing] so much unity for a group and for a country.
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