Jack Hughes, who scored the winning goal against Canada in the Winter Olympics hockey final, tried to dampen outrage at the team and President Donald Trump over their altercation over the U.S. women’s championship team.
“Everything is so political,” he says told the Daily Mail at a victory party in Miami.
The women declined Trump’s patronizing invitation to join the men at the State of the Union address and the White House, citing timing conflicts in a painful diplomatic statement from USA Hockey.
“They also have busy schedules,” Hughes told the tabloids. “Everyone is criticizing us today for all the stuff on social media. People are so negative there and they’re just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing.”
The women’s team also won gold against Canada days earlier in Milan during a dramatic extra period, but was insulted by Trump in his congratulatory phone call to the men’s team where he offered the invitation.
“And we’re going to have to – I’ve got to tell you – we’re going to have to bring the women’s team,” the president said to laughter from the players. ”[If I don’t] If I do that, I think I’ll probably get impeached, okay?”
USA Hockey declined on behalf of the women. “We deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” the statement said.
But the negative response from Trump and the players generated online criticismAnd even calls for the U.S. men’s team to be rejected the White House offer.
Hughes insisted all was well between the men’s and women’s teams.
“I think we are so close with their group,” he told the tabloids. “After we won the gold medal, we were with them in the cafeteria at 3:30 in the morning, and from there we packed our bags and got on the bus.”
“People are so negative about things,” he continued. “I think everyone in the dressing room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them and we know how we feel about them, they about us.”
Hughes, who plays in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils, made no apologies for visiting Trump.
“We are athletes,” he told the Daily Mail. “We are so proud to represent the United States, and when you get a chance to go to the White House and meet the president, we are proud to be American and that is so patriotic.”
EyesWideOpen via Getty Images
