U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight responds to Trump’s ‘distasteful joke’

The women's hockey team previously declined Trump's invitation to the White House, citing timing and 'previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.' 

Captain of the U.S. women’s ice hockey team, Hilary Knight, responded to comments U.S. President Donald Trump made to the men’s team after both won gold at the Winter Olympics, saying his wisecrack about also having to invite the women to the White House to celebrate their achievement is “overshadowing” the success of both.

While celebrating its gold medal win against Canada on Sunday, the men’s team received a call from Trump, who invited them to Tuesday’s State of the Union speech.

“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team,” he said. “You do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached.”

A video of the interaction, which shows some of the players on the men’s team laughing at the remark, went viral shortly after.

Knight, a five-time Olympic medallist, shared her perspective on Trump’s comment during a SportsCenter interview on Wednesday.

“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” she said.

“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time, and really not detract from that with a distasteful joke,” Knight continued.

“I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on,” she added.