American ice hockey gold medalist Brady Tkachuk condemned an AI video posted by the White House this week insulting Canadians.
“They booed our national anthem so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup eating motherfuckers a lesson,” Tkachuk, captain of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, appears to say in the video posted to the White House TikTok account.
The video was viewed more than 11 million times and generated comments that also disparaged Canada.
“It’s obviously fake because it’s not my voice and it’s not my lips that are moving,” the real Tkachuk told a group of reporters Thursday before the game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Canadian Tire Centre.
“I mean, I don’t have control over any of those accounts and yeah, so I know those words would never come out of my mouth, so there’s nothing I can do about it,” he continued.
When asked a follow-up question about whether he “liked” the video, Tkachuk said, “Did I like it?” I mean, it’s not my voice, not what I said. So, um, yeah, I mean, I would never say that. That’s not who I am. So yeah, I guess I don’t like that video.”
The White House did not immediately respond to HuffPost when asked for comment on Tkachuk not liking the video.
The U.S. men’s hockey team, which won gold at the Winter Olympics, found itself on thin ice with some fans after celebrating with a beer-swilling FBI director Kash Patel in the locker room following the team’s victory. The team received a call from President Donald Trump and laughed with him about his demeaning joke about the women’s team, which also won gold.
Tkachuk said Thursday that the men’s hockey team “supported” the women’s team. When asked why he laughed at Trump’s joke about inviting the women’s team, he said he “didn’t really have an answer” and called the aftermath of the victory a “whirlwind” moment.
“You don’t really have control over what anyone says and it’s, I think, a little bit off-guard, but I know you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieved your dream,” Tkachuk said.
“It’s just the fact that you’re talking to him. You just can’t really believe where your life is at, that you’re talking to the president of the United States after you’ve just won a gold medal.”
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Some online had speculated that Tkachuk shouted “close the northern border” during the team’s celebration with Patel. However, he denied saying that.
He told reporters: “If you watch the video, that is not my voice and something I would never say.”
Tkachuk was one of 20 U.S. men’s players who visited the White House and dined at McDonald’s after the victory. The team also attended Tuesday’s State of the Union address, where Trump announced goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. government’s highest civilian honor.
