U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration took a pointed swipe at Canada after Team USA defeated Team Canada 2-1 in the men’s ice hockey final at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The White House shared an image on X on Sunday of a bald eagle, the national bird of the United States, pinning down a Canada goose. The post also quoted a February 2025 message from Justin Trudeau, who was Canada’s prime minister at the time, “You can’t take our country—and you can’t take our game.”
Why It Matters
Team USA’s women also beat Canada for gold earlier in the week, completing a hockey sweep for the United States. While the White House’s post highlights a long-standing cross-border hockey rivalry, it is also underscores the increasing political divide between the longtime allies.
The first year of Trump’s second term has seen ratcheting tension between Washington and Ottawa. Trump’s tariffs against the U.S.’s northern neighbor and rhetoric around making it the 51st state has prompted Canadians to boycott American goods and travel.
What To Know
Trudeau—whom Trump had repeatedly referred to as the “governor” of Canada—posted his message after Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off win over the U.S. in Boston last year, as tensions over tariffs began and reports emerged of Canadians booing the U.S. national anthem during hockey games.
On Sunday, the last day of the Milano Cortina Games, Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to clinch the men’s hockey gold medal, ending a drought that dated to the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980.
Jack Hughes scored the winning goal 1 minute and 41 seconds into overtime, and he delivered an emotional postgame interview praising his teammates and country.
Trump congratulated the team in a call to the locker room after the victory, coach Mike Sullivan said, adding that the president told players he was proud of them, according to the New York Post.
What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Congratulations to our great U.S.A. Ice Hockey team. THEY WON THE GOLD. WOW!”
Team USA coach Mike Sullivan said about Trump’s call: “He just spoke to the group expressing how proud he was of the group and congratulating everybody on the win.”
What Happens Next
The White House’s social media post continues to circulate alongside Trudeau’s 2025 message, keeping both the U.S.-Canada hockey rivalry and underlying political rhetoric in the public eye.
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