Dave Portnoy is pushing back hard against critics who took issue with Donald Trump’s congratulatory phone call to Team USA’s Olympic hockey champions.
After both the U.S. women’s and men’s teams defeated longtime rival Canada in overtime to capture gold at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, the celebrations carried beyond the rink. The men secured a 2–1 victory on Sunday, with Jack Hughes netting the overtime winner marking the first U.S. men’s Olympic hockey gold in 46 years. FBI Director Kash Patel joined the team for locker room festivities and helped connect the players with the president during a celebratory call.
During the conversation, Trump congratulated the athletes and even floated the idea of sending a military plane to bring them back to Washington in time for the State of the Union address. At one point, he joked that he’d better invite the women’s team as well or risk impeachment a comment that drew laughter from players on the call.
Some critics on social media were not amused, arguing that the remark came off as dismissive toward the women’s team. One commenter wrote that while a congratulatory call from a president is appropriate, fellow Team USA athletes should never be disrespected.
Portnoy, however, dismissed the backlash entirely. Posting on X, the Barstool Sports founder said anyone upset over the exchange was overreacting, adding that speaking with a president after winning Olympic gold is a classic American moment.
He expanded on his view during an episode of Wake Up Barstool, saying the call was simply a celebratory gesture. According to Portnoy, Trump was enthusiastic, congratulated the team, and extended invitations to both squads for the State of the Union. He argued that the impeachment joke was clearly made in a lighthearted tone and that the players’ laughter reflected that.
Portnoy also criticized what he sees as a pattern of outrage on social media, particularly within hockey circles online. In his view, being angry over athletes taking a congratulatory call from the president misses the bigger picture. He said players are free to decline such calls if they wish, but there’s nothing wrong with accepting congratulations from the nation’s leader after a historic victory.
He further addressed criticism over Patel’s presence in the locker room, noting that high-profile political figures regularly attend major international sporting events. From his perspective, it’s common for government officials to celebrate alongside athletes at the Olympics, and there’s nothing unusual about it.
For Portnoy, the entire episode was about national pride and celebrating a rare Olympic triumph not politics.
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