Winter Olympics 2026 Olympics Team USAs Charlie McAvoy: Things just happened really quick on controversial Trump call By Jaclyn Hendricks Published Feb. 26, 2026, 3:56 p.m. ET Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is apologizing over what transpired in the locker room Sunday following Team USAs gold-medal triumph against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Speaking to the media Thursday ahead of Bostons game against Columbus, McAvoy expressed admiration for the U.S. womens gold medal-winning hockey team, which President Donald Trump joked about on a celebratory phone call to the mens squad, some of whom laughed at the remarks.
Certainly sorry for how we responded to it in that moment. You know, things just happened really quick there. And if you know the mens team, and if you know the relationships that we have, the amount of time that weve spent with the womens team and how weve supported them, its certainly not reflective of how we feel and look at them and their accomplishments, McAvoy, a defenseman and the son-in-law of Team USA coach Mike Sullivan, said via WEEI.
Charlie McAvoy on the U.S. men’s hockey team’s reaction to President Trump’s comment about the women’s team:“Certainly sorry for how we responded to it in that moment. You know, things just happened really quick there. And if you know the mens team, and if you know the… pic.twitter.com/PNgHcnRWnN— WEEI (@WEEI) February 26, 2026
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The Americans, who edged out rival Canada in overtime Sunday, 2-1, were congratulated by Trump and received White House and State of the Union invites for Tuesday.
In welcoming the mens team, Trump said, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that, and joked if he did not invite the women — who dominated in Milan en route to a gold-medal victory over Canada — he would be impeached, with the remarks eliciting laughter.
Goalie Jeremy Swayman, McAvoys Bruins and Team USA teammate, said the team shouldve reacted differently.
“We know that we are so excited for the women’s team. We have so much respect for the women’s team. To share that gold medal with them is something we’re forever grateful for, he said Wednesday.
Charlie McAvoy faces Canada in the gold-medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Getty Images The womens team declined Trumps invite earlier in the week due to scheduling issues, while Flavor Flav pitched an alternative celebration.
Hilary Knight, the captain of the U.S. womens team, addressed the fallout Wednesday on SportsCenter, where she called Trumps joke distasteful.
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke and unfortunately that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”
Members of Team USA attended the State of the Union following the gold medal win over Canada. Getty Images McAvoy and Swayman are among the members of the mens team who have been asked about the controversial call, including Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
When asked why the team laughed at Trumps remarks, Tkachuk said, I dont really have an answer.
Honestly, it was just a whirlwind of a moment, and you can’t control what somebody says and… I guess caught off guard a little bit, he added, according to CTV.
Sundays gold medal win was the first for mens hockey since the 1980 Olympics.
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- Winter Olympics 2026
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