Washington — The gold medal-winning U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team attended President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. To roaring applause, Mr. Trump introduced the team, who entered the House Chamber through the press gallery wearing their team sweaters and gold medals.
“Our country is winning again,” Mr. Trump said in his address. “…And to prove that point…here with us tonight are a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud, the men’s gold medal Olympic hockey team.””
The team received a standing ovation from lawmakers on both sides that lasted well over a minute.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen them get up,” Mr. Trump joked of Democratic lawmakers.
The president then announced that goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, whose extraordinary performance in the gold medal game was a major reason the U.S. was able to defeat Canada 2-1, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The president said he took a vote from the team on whether to give Hellebuyck the award.
“I did take a vote, every single one of them, I said, ‘I’m not giving it if anybody goes no,’ and every single one of them rapidly put up their hand,” Mr. Trump said. “What a special job you did. What special champions you are.”
Earlier in the day, the team visited the White House and met with Mr. Trump.
Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff, shared a video of Mr. Trump greeting players in the Oval Office and said Team USA was in the West Wing “with patriotic music blaring out of the Roosevelt Room.”
“Look at these guys. I recognize every one of you. I know every one of you,” Mr. Trump told the team, remarking: “These are big guys.”
Margo Martin, special assistant to the president, shared a photo of the team standing on the South Lawn and a video of players walking down the White House colonnade.
She also shared a video of the team posing with their gold medals with Mr. Trump in the Oval Office. In the video, Matthew Tkachuk gives Mr. Trump his own gold medal to wear for the photo.
“I’m not giving it back,” Mr. Trump jokes.
In an exclusive interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil ahead of the speech, House Speaker Johnson had said the team would “be there with their gold medals.”
“Logistics were a bit of a challenge last minute, but I think we’ll get that done,” Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, had said.
Mr. Trump invited the men’s and women’s hockey teams to his speech after the men defeated Canada 2-1 in the championship game at the Winter Olympics on Sunday in Milan to secure gold. The U.S. women’s team also beat their Canadian rivals 2-1 last week to win Olympic gold.
The women’s team declined Mr. Trump’s invitation to attend the State of the Union, citing scheduling conflicts, but Mr. Trump said during his State of the Union that he would be hosting the women’s team at the White House.
“Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate,” a USA Hockey spokesperson said in a statement. “They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
The president spoke with the men’s team by phone shortly after the championship game and said he would send a “military plane or something” to Miami to pick them up and bring them to Washington for the speech.
An Air Force spokesperson later confirmed to CBS News on Tuesday that members of the men’s hockey team flew from Miami to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland aboard an Air Force Boeing C-32 that was assigned to the 89th Airlift Wing “at the request of the president.”
“Supporting a mission like this requires detailed planning, coordination and a highly trained team of professionals who are prepared to operate anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice,” the Air Force spokesperson said. “Our crews remain ready to execute any mission they are tasked with in support of national priorities.”
Mr. Trump’s invitation to the hockey teams set off some logistical scrambling. Johnson said earlier Tuesday that while the State of the Union is a “very well-attended event” and the gallery in the House chamber is “already full,” he would figure out a way for the team to attend.
“Somehow, some way, we’ll squeeze in the hockey players tonight, and it’ll be a great moment for America, and it really is a symbol to all of us that we all play for America’s team, and I hope everybody will remember that tonight,” he said.
Watch more of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s exclusive interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET. CBS News coverage of the State of the Union address begins at 9 p.m. ET.