Jack Hughes Reacts to Backlash Over Trump's Women's Hockey Team Comment, Confirms He's 'Excited' for White House Visit

Jack Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal for Team USA men’s hockey’s Olympic gold medal run on Sunday (February 22) is now speaking out about that phone call from Donald Trump.

If you did not see, the 79-year-old POTUS received backlash for his comment about the women’s team in a phone call to the men’s team after their gold medal match.

While inviting the men to the State of the Union, he said, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team. You do know that,” as men’s hockey team members laughed. He then said, “I do believe I’d probably would be impeached [if the women’s team wasn’t invited].”

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About the women’s team declining Trump‘s invite to the State of the Union, Jack told Daily Mail, “They’ve got busy schedules, too. Everyone is giving us backlash for all the social media stuff today.”

“People are so negative out there and they are just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” he continued. “Our relationship with them, over the course of being in the Athletes’ Village, I think we are so tight with their group. After we won the gold medal we were in the cafeteria at 3:30am in the morning with them and we go from there, pack our bags and we’re on the bus.”

He continued, “People are so negative about things. I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us.”

Jack then confirmed that they are heading to Washington, DC to watch the State of the Union tonight (February 24).

“Yeah, we’re excited. Everything is so political. We’re athletes,” he continued. “We’re so proud to represent the US and when you get the chance to go to White House and meet the president, we’re proud to be Americans and that’s so patriotic. No matter what your views are we’re super excited to go to the White House tomorrow and be a part of that.”

Jack got several teeth knocked out during the hockey game, and you can see close up photos here.

Also pictured: Jack and his brother Quinn, and other members of Team USA men’s hockey, including Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk, partying in Miami, Florida on Monday (February 23) after the Olympics.