Overview
- On his Steam Room podcast, Charles Barkley blasted the public reaction to the men’s team visit as “stupid,” calling those fueling the uproar “idiots” and “fools.”
- Barkley said he is not a Trump supporter but would accept a White House invitation out of respect for the office, while adding that no athlete should have to justify declining.
- The controversy followed President Trump’s locker‑room call in which he joked he needed to invite the women’s team or be “impeached,” a remark that drew criticism online.
- USA Hockey said the women’s team declined the State of the Union invitation due to prior academic and professional commitments, while the men’s team attended.
- Activists pushed for apologies from the men’s team, some players later expressed regret over their locker‑room reactions, and no date has been set for any women’s team visit despite Trump saying they would come soon.