Trump awards Medal of Freedom to Team USA goalie

Julianna Bragg

Hellebuyck and other Team USA hockey players laying on the ground with gold medals — Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22. Photo: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

President Trump during the State of the Union on Tuesday revealed he is awarding Connor Hellebuyck, the Team USA goalie who helped the men's Olympic hockey team win gold at the 2026 games, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Why it matters: The award is considered the U.S. government's highest civilian honor and is usually presented to recognize a lifetime of significant achievements in the arts, public service, science, or other fields, per the Library of Congress.

Zoom in: The team was given a standing ovation as shouts of "USA, USA" rang out in Congress.

"That's the first time I've ever seen them get up," Trump said of Democrats. "And actually, not all of them did get up."
The president praised the "group of winners" for making "the entire nation proud."

State of play: Despite their win, marking the first men's gold in hockey since 1980, the team faced backlash after players were recorded laughing on a call with Trump where he invited them to his State of the Union address and said he would be "impeached" if he didn't also invite the women's team.

Twenty members of the team were at the White House and posed for a photo with Trump. Five players scheduled to play NHL games Wednesday night did not attend.

The women's hockey team declined an invite to the address, citing scheduling issues, though Trump said the team would "soon" pay a visit to the White House during his address.

Go deeper: Team USA men's hockey final draws 20.7 million viewers

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from President Trump and further context.

Axios' Kerry Flynn contributed reporting.

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Trump awards Medal of Freedom to Team USA goalie

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