Kash Patel and US men's hockey team under fire after Donald Trump makes joke about women's team
The US men's hockey team has come under fire for laughing at one of Trump's comments during a phone call. (AP: Petr David Josek)
A comment by President Donald Trump to the men's US hockey team in a phone call moments after their Olympic victory has gone viral on social media after he appeared to mock the women's team that also won gold.
Here is what Mr Trump said and the response from the US women's hockey team.
What happened?
Earlier in the day, the men's ice hockey team took on Canada in the final, where the US triumphed less than two minutes into overtime as Jack Hughes scored the game-winner.
Days earlier, the US women's team also beat Canada.
As the celebrations entered the locker room, the players were joined by FBI Director Kash Patel, who facilitated a call with the president so he could congratulate the team on its win.
In a video posted online, the president invited the team to his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, local time, and to join him at the White House for a tour.
It was at that point that the president joked about having to extend the invite to the women's team out of obligation.
"And we have to, I must tell you, we're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that," Mr Trump said.
"I do believe I probably would be impeached [if the women's team was not invited]."
In the video, the president and the rest of the room are heard laughing after the comment was made.
This drew criticism on social media from some who believed the president was being dismissive of the women's team.
"Shameful how the men's team was laughing at the women's team in such a great moment. Like really?" one user wrote.
"All of them laughing about inviting the women's team. Every single one of them," another wrote.
"Not one man in that room looked disgusted by that conversation. It was so exciting when they won, and that simply turned to pure embarrassment," another said.
Many fans also took issue with the men's team mocking the women's triumph when the mother of two of their teammates is an ex-player.
Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, the mother of winning goalscorer Hughes and his older brother Quinn, starred for the US women's national team in the early 1990s and guided the women to gold at the 2026 Games as a player development consultant.
"Laughing at a joke about the US Women's hockey team is so gross considering what your mum does," one user wrote.
Comments on social media also appear to suggest some of the men's team published the video with the president to their own profiles, but have since deleted it.
"Deleting posts and doing damage control is crazy work. Stand by what y’all did don’t be shy," an Instagram user wrote.
It is unclear if Mr Trump called the women's hockey team directly to congratulate them.
The US women's team declined Trump's offer to the White House. (Reuters: Amber Searls)
The US women's hockey team has won a medal at every Olympics since 1998.
Will the women's hockey team attend?
The US women's team has declined Trump's invitation, citing scheduling conflicts.
"We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women's Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement," the spokesperson said.
"Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honoured to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgement."
It is unclear if the men's team will attend the State of the Union speech.
Patel involvement also criticised
More videos circulating online from inside the locker room showed Mr Patel drinking beer and joining the players as they jumped up and down.
This led to online criticism with people questioning the use of government resources by an FBI chief already facing scrutiny over his personal travels aboard a government plane.
The FBI last week denied Mr Patel was on a personal trip, saying it was planned months ago.
The agency said it had a major role in Olympic security and that its director was meeting Italian law enforcement officials and the US ambassador to Italy.
"There was a threat at the president's residence at [Mar-a-Lago], Americans in Mexico are facing major threats by cartel members, Nancy Guthrie is still missing, and our FBI Director thinks he's a frat bro?!" Xochitl Hinojosa, spokeswoman for former Attorney-General Merrick Garland, said on X.
Congressman Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat, described Mr Patel's Olympic trip as "corruption".
"Your taxpayer dollars funding the FBI director's Italian vacation," he posted on X.
In response to the criticism, Mr Patel defended his trip, telling "very concerned media" he was "extremely humbled" to be with the men's team after their victory.