The USA women’s hockey team appeared to take a subtle dig at Donald Trump during a Saturday Night Live segment featuring captain Hilary Knight and teammate Megan Keller — and the moment quickly went viral. Team USA made history at the Milan-Cortina Olympics by completing a clean sweep of hockey gold medals in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The men defeated Canada 2-1 to win their first Olympic gold in 46 years, while the women secured a 2-1 overtime victory, with Keller scoring the decisive goal.

Following the men’s win, Trump congratulated the team by phone and invited them to attend his State of the Union address. During the call, he joked: “We’re going to have to bring the women’s team… I do believe I probably would be impeached [if they weren’t invited].” The comment drew criticism. While expressing gratitude for the invitation, the women’s team later declined to attend due to scheduling and professional commitments.

Knight described Trump’s remark as “distasteful,” saying it overshadowed the women’s Olympic success. Days later, she and Keller appeared on SNL alongside men’s team members Jack and Quinn Hughes. Opening the segment, Knight quipped: “It was going to be just us, but we thought we’d invite the guys, too,” drawing a strong reaction from the audience.

The situation also sparked debate beyond hockey. Former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe criticized the men’s team for accepting Trump’s invitation, arguing it diminished their achievement. Speaking on her podcast, she said athletes should not allow their defining career moments to be “co-opted” for political purposes. The exchange has fueled wider conversations about sports, politics, and how athletes choose to celebrate historic victories.