Trump Praises U.S. Men’s Hockey Team After Historic Gold Medal Win

In a powerful display of national pride, President Donald J. Trump — now serving his second term as Commander-in-Chief — honored the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team at his State of the Union address following their historic gold medal victory over Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

The dramatic 2-1 overtime triumph secured America’s first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since 1980, reviving memories of the legendary “Miracle on Ice” squad that stunned the Soviet Union in Lake Placid and cemented its place in American sports lore.

Before addressing the nation, President Trump hosted members of the team in the Oval Office, celebrating what many see as more than just a sports victory — but a reaffirmation of American grit, resilience, and excellence on the world stage.

In a celebratory video posted ahead of the address, the president offered a lighthearted but pointed tribute to star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

“These are the U.S. players who won the gold medal — and I got myself one great Secretary of Defense, the goalie!” Trump said. “Pete Hegseth is not happy to hear this!”

The remark drew laughs and quickly gained traction online, playing off a viral nickname that has followed Hellebuyck since his dominant performance against Canada. The playful jab referenced Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has embraced the social media buzz surrounding the Olympic standout.

The nickname emerged moments after Hellebuyck delivered what many are calling the defining save of the tournament — a sprawling third-period stick stop on Canada’s Devon Toews that preserved a 1-1 tie and shifted momentum back to Team USA. Clips of the stop flooded social media, and fans quickly crowned the netminder “America’s Secretary of Defense.”

The locker room leaned into the title.

On the team’s Air Force flight to Washington, captain Dylan Larkin shared a photo of Hellebuyck holding a light-blue plaque featuring a bald eagle and the words “Secretary of Defense” across the top. In the other hand? His Olympic gold medal. The image captured both humor and pride — a symbol of American excellence at its finest.

Secretary Hegseth responded in good spirits, posting online: “Now we have a Secretary of War… and a Secretary of Defense!” — a tongue-in-cheek nod to the agency’s recent renaming under the Trump administration.

Hellebuyck’s performance in Milan was nothing short of extraordinary. He stopped 41 shots in the gold medal game, including multiple high-danger scoring chances late in regulation to force overtime. Then came the finishing blow: Jack Hughes buried the golden goal, sealing the 2-1 victory and sending American players and fans into celebration.

“It’s a dream come true,” Hellebuyck said following the game. “We grinded, we battled, and this was some of the best and most fun hockey that I’ve ever played.”

The victory marked the first U.S. men’s Olympic hockey gold since the iconic 1980 team triumphed at Lake Placid — a benchmark moment that has defined American Olympic hockey for decades.

The win capped a dominant stretch for American hockey, coming just days after the U.S. women’s team captured gold in overtime against Canada as well. Megan Keller delivered the decisive goal in that matchup, underscoring a banner Olympics for Team USA.

While the women’s squad was unable to attend the State of the Union due to scheduling conflicts, members of the men’s team were present for the women’s gold medal victory in Milan — a testament to the unity and shared mission of representing the United States on the global stage.

Hughes later revealed that Keller’s clutch performance was on his mind when he scored his own overtime winner.

Celebrations in Milan were unmistakably patriotic. Hellebuyck skated across the ice draped in the American flag as fans waved red, white, and blue banners. Teammates mobbed Hughes at center ice before posing proudly with their medals and Old Glory — a scene that resonated deeply with Americans watching back home.

Appearing later on “Fox & Friends,” Larkin and Zach Werenski reflected on their development through the U.S. National Team Development Program and what it meant to wear the American jersey.

“You get reminded of how great the United States of America is when you get back here,” Werenski said. “We love representing our country, we love wearing those colors.”

In an era when national pride is too often dismissed or diluted, the men’s Olympic hockey team delivered a reminder of what unified purpose looks like. Their victory was not merely athletic — it was symbolic.

And thanks to a nod from the Oval Office, Connor Hellebuyck’s legacy now carries more than Olympic gold. It carries a title endorsed by the President of the United States himself:

America’s “Secretary of Defense.”