U.S. Women’s Soccer Alums Bash Gold Medalist Hockey Stars For Laughing At Trump Joke

The veterans of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team are at it again. In a move that surprised absolutely no one, retired stars Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, and the ever-defiant Megan Rapinoe spent the final week of February 2026 lashing out at the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team for the “crime” of showing a modicum of respect to President Donald Trump following their Olympic gold medal win.

The controversy stems from a phone call where Trump invited the hockey champions to his State of the Union address. During the exchange, the president quipped that he would have to invite the women’s team as well or face “impeachment”—a joke that elicited laughter from the men’s locker room.

That laughter was apparently too much for Wambach. On her podcast, “Welcome to the Party,” Wambach demanded the men “knock it all the (expletive) way off,” adding, “Stop (expletive) laughing at things that aren’t funny.” Foudy joined the chorus, suggesting the men should have staged a retaliatory boycott of the State of the Union to show “accountability.”

Of course, no Trump-related sports “resistance” would be complete without Megan Rapinoe. Rapinoe, who has spent the better part of a decade using the American flag as a prop for her personal grievances, resurfaced during a Wednesday news conference to blast the “wretched phone call.” This is, after all, the same Rapinoe who famously dubbed herself a “walking protest” and once told a magazine, “I’m not going to the f*cking White House.”

For Rapinoe, the national anthem isn’t a moment of unity, but an opportunity for a “good ‘F you'” to an administration she finds “disturbing.” While she claims to represent America, her brand of “patriotism” usually involves refusing to place her hand over her heart while reaping the “American privilege” provided by the very country she disparages.

While the soccer stars were busy trying to burn bridges, the hockey players were actually busy being Americans. By February 26, the reaction from the men’s locker room was divided. Stars like Jack Hughes refused to apologize regarding the manufactured drama, stating plainly, “Everything is so political. We’re athletes, we’re proud to represent the U.S. – When you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the President, no matter what your views are, we’re excited.” His brother, Quinn Hughes, echoed the sentiment, saying, “I don’t know how much we’re allowed to say, but yes. Yeah, we’re excited to go. It’s something you don’t get to do … every Tuesday. It’s going to be special for us.”

Meanwhile, players like Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman eventually bent the knee to the sports-media complex, issuing the now-obligatory “apologies” for their laughter.

To the soccer “resistance,” a gold medal isn’t enough; players must also adopt the correct political posture or face the wrath of the podcasting “elite.”