Just hours ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Team Canada and Team USA, U.S. President Donald Trump called the U.S. hockey team to wish them good luck in the final.
Team USA received a call from the President this morning to wish them luck ahead of tonight’s #4Nations championship game. pic.twitter.com/he1kIgUVGW
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 20, 2025
The U.S. president wrote this morning on Truth Social that he would be calling the team to “spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada.”
“I will be speaking before the governors tonight in D.C., and will sadly, therefore, before unable to attend,” Trump said. “But we will all be watching.”
USA forward J.T. Miller told TSN reporter Chris Johnston it was “so awesome to get his support.”
“It’s a pretty big deal for him to take time out of his schedule to talk to us for five minutes,” Miller said. “It’s just another one of those things where we’re kind of pinching ourselves this tournament.”
J.T. Miller on Trump's call: "It was so awesome to get his support. It's a pretty big deal for him to take time out of his schedule to talk to us for five minutes. It's just another one of those things where we're kind of pinching ourselves this tournament." https://t.co/EWdQQrRxmn
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 20, 2025
USA forward Brock Nelson also spoke on Trump calling the group.
“Pretty incredible. For him to take time out of his day, wish us luck and talking about just enjoying the moment … it’s pretty special and something I’ll remember forever,” Nelson told NY Post reporter Ethan Sears.
Brock Nelson on Trump calling Team USA this morning:
“Pretty incredible. … For him to take time out of his day, wish us luck and talking about just enjoying the moment … it’s pretty special and something I’ll remember forever.”
— Ethan Sears (@ethan_sears) February 20, 2025
Tensions between Canada and the U.S. have grown in the months since Trump was elected last November. The U.S. president has threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian products, as well as an additional 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S
Trump has repeatedly said he is serious about Canada becoming the 51st state, calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “Governor Trudeau,” claiming that Canada is “not viable as a country” without U.S. trade.
The Athletic’s Michael Russo asked USA General Manager Bill Guerin if Trump talked to the players about making Canada the 51st state.
“A little bit, but I would just try to focus on the message that he was giving us,” Guerin said. “I’ve said it before: we’re here to play hockey. This is not a political forum. This is a hockey tournament. And he’s just trying to be supportive in the best way that he could, and we appreciate it.”
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