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Don’t expect at least one Olympic gold medalist in Washington, D.C., any time soon.
After being asked about Olympians not accepting invites to the White House, 2026 Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn told Us Weekly that she would decline an invitation if given one.
“I’m electing not to either, so I do not blame them whatsoever,” Glenn told the outlet. “It is our right to be able to choose what we do and don’t endorse, and I think it is a decision that each individual has the right to make.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. Figure Skating referred inquiries to the White House.
While the men’s hockey team went to the White House and the State of the Union last month, the women’s hockey team declined President Donald Trump’s invite, citing scheduling conflicts. Trump announced at the State of the Union, however, they will eventually visit.
Trump’s invite came after he drummed up controversy during a phone call with the men’s team shortly after they won gold, saying he’d “have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise he’d “probably be impeached.” The quip garnered some laughter from the men, prompting backlash for all involved.
Several athletes, and apparently teams, have turned down visiting Trump after winning titles dating back to his first presidency. After winning the 2018 World Series as manager of the Boston Red Sox, Alex Cora skipped the White House visit in 2019 to prioritize Puerto Rico, citing dissatisfaction with the federal government’s response to Hurricane Maria’s devastation. Mookie Betts also skipped that year’s celebration but attended the Los Angeles Dodgers’ celebration last year.
The Dodgers, Philadelphia Eagles, Florida Panthers, Ohio State football team, LSU baseball team, and Inter Miami have all visited the White House to celebrate their championships since Trump’s second term began in January 2025. It remains to be seen if the Indiana Hoosiers and Seattle Seahawks will follow suit. Given the fact that no NBA team has ever visited Trump, it seems unlikely the Oklahoma City Thunder will do so.
Last year, the Florida Gators were the first college basketball team to visit Trump since the women’s Baylor team in 2019. They are the only college basketball team to visit Trump in either term, while every college football champion with Trump as president has visited with him.
Despite no NBA team visiting the White House under Trump, the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, and Boston Celtics each visited former President Joe Biden to commemorate their titles.
Trump rescinded an invitation for the Warriors’ 2017 title after Stephen Curry said he would not make the trip. LeBron James then called Trump a “bum,” saying, “Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
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