The US women’s ice hockey team has declined an invitation to attend former President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, US media reported. The invitation came after Trump jokingly said he would be “impeached” if he did not ask the women to attend.
The team, which won Olympic gold by defeating Canada 2-1 on Thursday their first gold since 2018, cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for not participating. A statement from the team read: “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. We are sincerely grateful for the invitation and deeply appreciate the recognition of our extraordinary achievement.”
During a call with the men’s Olympic gold winning team, Trump can be heard joking: “We’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you do know that? I do believe I would probably be impeached, OK?” The men’s team appeared receptive, cheering and saying, “We’re in,” though it was unclear if they had formally accepted.
The invitation and decline highlight both the recognition of the women’s team’s achievement and the ongoing cultural spotlight on women’s sports in the US.
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