U.S. women's hockey star Kelly Pannek reiterates team missed State of the Union over logistical challenges, not Trump joke

February 25, 2026 — St Paul, MN - CBS Evening News (photo credit- Getty Images)

Minneapolis — A member of the Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. women's hockey team indicated to CBS News on Tuesday that her team's absence from President Trump's State of the Union address was due to logistical challenges and not the controversy surrounding a joke Mr. Trump made while on a video call with the U.S. men's team. 

"I know, like, later on, there'll be a full invite for all Team USA athletes to go to the White House like there has been in the past," decorated U.S. women's hockey veteran Kelly Pannek told CBS News during a practice with her pro team in Minneapolis.

Asked if she wants the women's team to receive their own White House invite, Pannek responded, "We want it to be about how great of an experience it was for us. You know, having two women’s and men’s gold medals come out of USA hockey. It's something we've never done before." ….