Remarks: Donald Trump Hosts a Team USA Reception at the White House - August 6, 2026

Great athletes, great athletes. Thank you very much. It's a real honor to be with stars. I like being with stars. I like being with winners. You're winners like nobody. Thank you very much. Fantastic. It's fantastic. Today, we're truly honored to welcome to the White House perhaps the greatest group of Winter Olympians in American history.

At the 2026 Olympic Games, Team USA won more gold medals than any American Winter Olympic team has ever won before, and what an amazing achievement. Not bad. [Laughs] That's not bad. [Inaudible] That's pretty good, isn't it, huh? We had some good teams, too. We're also honored to be joined by many of the members of the US Paralympic team, who are fantastic.

I watched so much of that, and showed unbelievable strength, and persistence, and skill, and brought home an incredible 13 Paralympic gold medals to America. Congratulations. That's a lot of medals. It's a record. Fantastic. [Inaudible] That's a record. Along with the athletes, I wanna thank the Team USA coaches and staff members who are here today, as well CEO of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committees, Sarah Hirshland.

Sarah, wherever you may be, where, thank you. Please stand up. [Laughs] Great. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Treasurer of the United States, well, and this is a very good friend of mine. Where's Brandon? Brandon Beach. He's the t -- that's a good, that's a good position, Treasurer. Think of that, Treasurer of the United States of America.

That's good. He controls a lot of money. And the director of the United States Mint, Paul Hollis. Thank you, Paul. Thank you. Great job. So last February, these incredible Olympians traveled to Northern Italy, and they return home to America wearing nine bronze medals, 12 civil, uh, silver medals, and a record 12 Winter Olympic golds.

Nothing like that. That was the all-time record. These men and women sacrificed years of their lives and countless early mornings to be the best in the world. That's right. I guess you get up early in the morning [Laughs] don't you? I remember those days, but I didn't do it as well as you, not quite. That's, uh, really something, and they were early mornings.

And they did it for the highest privilege in all of sports, wearing the red, white, and blue while representing those three proud letters on their uniform. It's called USA, and that's what you do. Among the great medalists with us this evening is one of those who helped bring home the team figure skating gold, Danny O'Shea.

Where's Danny O'Shea? Where's Danny? Where's Danny. Huh? Not, not bad, Danny. [Laughs] That's pretty good. I watched that one. Great going, Danny. You look better in person, if you wanna know. When it mattered most, Danny skated the best he has ever skated. Would you say that was the best you've ever? The best. [Laughs] You're never gonna do it again.

Are you gonna do it again? Uh, you'll do it again? [Laughs] Do it again. That's great. Uh, but he said it was the best he ever skated, and other people too, in his entire life, and his performance helped the US edge out Japan, who's a very great team in the team event, by a single point, 69 to 68, and I wanna just say again, 'cause I watched that, Danny, well done, and the whole team, well done.

That's incredible. That's incredible. Thank you. That's great. Also with us is the single most decorated American Olympian from the 2026 Games, speed skater Jordan Stolz. And I watched that one too. His legs, strong legs, very strong legs, going. I said, "How do I get my legs to look like that?" I don't have any time to work like that, but it's, uh, you were amazing, and historic victories.

Jordan broke the Olympic record in the men's 500-meter, 1,000-meter speed skating, winning double gold medals. In addition, Jordan brought home the silver in the 1,500-meter competition, and he just did a great job. Everybody's still talking about it. So Jordan, where are, where are you, Jordan? And I met Jordan before and he's a fantastic young man.

Great future. We also have the gold medal champion in women's moguls, Elizabeth Lemley. I don't know how you do that, Elizabeth. That's amazing stuff. Where's Elizabeth? Elizabeth.

Hello. [Laughter]

Along with gold medal winning, mixed aerial freestyle skiing, team consisting of Christopher Lillis, Connor Kern, and Kayla Koon.

Thank you very much. Wow. Where are you [Inaudible]? Good job. Great job. I also have to mention the team that won perhaps the greatest victory on the hockey rink since the original Miracle on Ice. And they were here in February and there was an amazing moment at just an incredible, the 2026 Men's Olympic hockey team.

We celebrated together and it was something special. It was a really, an amazing period of time. And the women's team and the men's team, it was just incredible. And in that overtime thriller, Team USA beat Canada two to one thanks to many memorable performances and clutch plays, including the Golden Goal.

They, they scored it. They called it the Golden, it sounds like me naming it, I call it the Golden Age of America. [Laughter] The Golden Age of America. Now we have the Golden Goal. But, uh, that's okay. And that was done by Jack Hughes, as you know, great guy. And a record 41 Saves by goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

And he was the MVP. Everybody would agree to that. He was unbelievable. He was something. And of course, we can't forget and never would, and nobody would have the courage to forget either, because they are amazing. The history-making women's hockey team. This team left all, everything right on the ice and they beat Canada and clinched the Olympic gold.

With, with us today are two of the key contributors to that winning effort, Abby Murphy and Joy Dunn. And I want to thank you, Abby and Joy, for an incred- -- really a memorable period of time. It was just an amazing time for our country. Uh, where are you, Abby and Joy? [Inaudible] That was really something, but never before in history of both of our men's and women's hockey teams won gold in a single season.

And this is truly the, and I say it, it's, uh, just a period of time. Our, our country has never done better than it's doing right now in so many different ways. Even in terms of investment of $19.2 trillion is pouring into our country, making them richer. It's making everybody in this room richer, including my man.

But it's been, uh, it's been a great, it's been a great period of time. And I will say this, the whole world is know, and they know it and they say it. We, we have right now, we have the hottest country anywhere in the world. And a big factor is right standing behind me and what a future they have. Every one of them.

Thank you very much. Such an honor. So adding to this historic success, our Paralympians brought home their fifth straight gold medal in sled hockey and, and extended one of the greatest dynasties in all of international sports. And it's amazing what you've done. Nobody's ever done anything like it. Where are you?

Let me just see. Congratulations. [Inaudible]. And congratulations to Brett Bolton, David Eustace, Jack Wallace, Kayden Beasley, Kevin McKee, Landon Uthke, Liam Cunningham, Malik Jones, Declan Farmer and Jen Lee. You are really an inspiration and thank you very much. It- -- all right. Uthke, Liam Cunningham, Malik Jones, Declan Farmer, and Jen Lee, you are really an inspiration and thank you very much.

It's an amazing, amazing achievement that we'll never forget. And it was a record. Something nice about record performances. It was a record. It's one of the highest pleasures of the presidency to be able to support our nation's best athletes, and that's what they are, and celebrate the champions of Team USA.

Under the Trump administration, we're doing everything we can to protect the cherished sporting traditions that have long been part of our nation from the beginning, right from the beginning. And already we've, uh, done a lot to help save women's sports, and we're also saving college sports. We're in the process of working very hard.

We had a bad judge's decision and, uh, a judge that knew nothing about sports declared sports unconstitutional. Can you believe it? And we had to come and put something together, and we had the help of so many great people. They all came together, and we have a bill, uh, right now that we're trying to get past.

And if it does, we'll be bringing sports back, and you'll all be protected, and your sports will be protected. And frankly, women will be protected because with what happened, that was the worst thing that happened to women's sports, you understand that. Um, and we're working very hard with a lot of great people.

Uh, Nick Saban, as an example, was so instrumental. Andy Levine, he's the president of the New York Yankees, and just so many. They all came together. The Big 10, the SEC, and, uh, what a mess it was, a court case that was a disaster. And why they didn't appeal that case, I have no idea. I won't ask about that, but they didn't appeal it. Some genius said, "Let's not appeal it." And that was a perfect, perfect case to win an appeal, but the people that were running things did not appeal it. So, so foolish.

But we have it going, and we're very close to a deal that will be terrific, I think, and really save college sports and save colleges, if you wanna know the truth, the money that was being spent, uh, because of this ridiculous decision that was made. But the collegiate athletic system is the engine of American Olympic dominance.

And, you know, you produce the great Olympians. They, they really can compete in college and all sports, every sport, producing 88 Team USA athletes for the 2026 Winter Games alone. And to that end, I am urging the House and the Senate to come together bipartisan if possible, and it looks like that's what they have done, together and send the, uh, bill to my desk, I will sign it. Immediately done by some of the, the greatest people in sports.

And, uh, I think we have no choice. We have to get that done, right? We have to get that done. And if we don't, we're very foolish. Nobody knows what's gonna happen. We're, we're in never, never land. And we're not gonna let that be happening. We're just not gonna let it happen to these great people and others.

But we're not gonna let that happen. I know many of the Olympians here today are already training for the next Winter Games in eight years from now. Who, who is expecting and hoping to be in the Olympic, the next Olympics? 'Cause, well, we're gonna run that good like we did the world. Good. That's great. That's great.

Well, we're gonna do a real job. You know, we had the greatest, most successful, the FIFA, the World Cup was, uh, the most, and I wanna just say a special thanks to Andrew. You did a fantastic job, Andrew Giuliani. Great job. It was like a flawless thing. It was four times more successful than any, monetarily in every other way.

I think other ways, even more than that, but it was -- [Audience member calls out "extraordinary"] -- well, thank you. [Audience member cals out, inaudibly] But we're gonna do it again now for them. We have to do it again for them. So we're gonna make this one of the best, maybe the best. But that was the most successful World Cup they've ever had by far.

They actually saved by four times greater. I said, "Let's do it again in four years," but other countries had problems with that, right? [Laughter] But, uh, in eight years from now, some of you may even have a chance to compete on American soil on the 2034 Win- -- Winter Olympics where it's gonna be in Salt Lake City.

And of course -- and that'll be great. And of course, we're all looking forward to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. So we got a lot of, we got a lot of action. We have a lot of action going, so it's really gonna be something. And it's gonna be well run. It's been well run, just like FIFA, not a, we didn't have a problem.

It was so smooth. All of those games, it was sort of like they said, having something, and it's gonna be well-run. It's been well-run just like FIFA, not a, we didn't have a problem. It was so smooth. All of those games, it was sort of, like they said, having a Super Bowl every day. And actually, in some cases, having about four Super Bowls a day.

But it worked out so flawlessly. We're very proud of it, and so I wanna just, once again, thank everybody representing our nation so incredibly, and setting all of those records, because you, really, many of you set records. Setting a record is a big deal. All those years, and you showed the entire world that the Americans, really, they know how to fight, fight, fight and win, win, win, and you can do that better than anybody.

And I'm gonna be watching you again very soon. And now, let's have two of the Team USA's flag bearers, the great flag bearers, uh, this past Winter Olympics, come forward for a special gift presentation. One of the most decorated Paralympians in US history, a phenomenal athlete, Laurie Stephens, along with US Army Sergeant and bobsled team member, a great talent, Frank Del Duca.

Do you know Frank Del Duca? Where's Frank Del Duca? Is that Frank? Come here, Frank. You were strong, strong. Very strong hands. Frank, uh, would you like to say something?

Of course. Mr. President, my name is Frank Del Duca, and I'm joined here with my teammate, six-time Paralympian Laurie Stephens.

Oh.

We had the unique privilege of serving as Team USA's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina. Thank you for welcoming us to the White House. It's an honor to be here. Thank you for your support of America's Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and for helping to celebrate the movement that unites and inspires so many across our country.

On behalf of Team USA, we would like to gift you these keepsakes. We hope you'll wear them proudly as you continue to cheer on Team USA.

Thank you. I will be. Thank you very much.

We have this jacket.

Wow. Oh, USA. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. [Audience chants "USA"]

[Crosstalk]

All right, thank you. Thank you. We're gonna do something a little special if you can, uh, get down. We're gonna, we have some really beautiful coins. I love coins. I love money. [Laughter] I love, I always love coins, but we have the best, um, we're gonna give everybody here a very special coin. And if we can, we'll get down and I'll show you the Oval Office, all right?

I'll see if we'll, I don't feel like they'll ever do a nice thing. [Laughter] And, most of them, I just wanna get out of there. Some of them I like, some of them I don't like. [Laughter] There's some of them I love, and some of them I don't like so much. [Laughter] But, uh, they all come here. We just had the Dodgers.

They were fantastic. Uh, the, uh, Super Bowl winner, we have everybody, and this is one of the great honors and, really, you are tremendous athletes. I mean, to do it six times. How do you do it six times? [Laughter] It's a lot of heart. That's a lot of heart. So, we're gonna come down to the Oval Office together.

We're gonna take one picture here. And then, uh, we're gonna present you all with a very special, really, something that you're gonna like, a coin, but, very special coin from the White House. Okay? Thank you from us. Hey, does anybody not wanna go to the Oval, Oval Office? [Laughter]

I want him to be on the lawn.

Great job. Great job. Let's go. Going to the Oval Office.

[Crosstalk]

Right up there, everybody. And, one, two, three. One, two, three. And one more. One, two, three. Are you gonna be able to [Inaudible]

We're going to team dinner.

I only cried a little bit.