Trump Hosts Winter Olympians and Paralympians at White House

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump hosted dozens of U.S. Winter Olympians and Paralympians at the White House on Thursday, honoring their performances at the Milano Cortina Games earlier this year.

Nearly half of the Team USA athletes who competed in Italy attended the East Room reception, according to the White House, along with coaches, staff and other representatives. Three hundred U.S. athletes took part in this year's Winter Olympics and Paralympics, winning 57 medals in all.

"Today, we're truly honored to welcome to the White House perhaps the greatest group of Winter Olympians in American history," Trump said as athletes in USA windbreakers filled rows of risers behind him.

Among the guests was speedskater Jordan Stolz, whom Trump described as the single most-decorated American Olympian of the 2026 Games while marveling at his "very strong legs." At a rally with the president in Wisconsin earlier this summer, Stolz briefly placed a gold medal around Trump's neck.

The athletes gave Trump a Team USA jacket and sneakers. The president promised to hand out special coins and invited attendees on a tour of the Oval Office afterward. The event had been scheduled for the stone patio area Trump built near the Rose Garden but was moved indoors as heavy evening rains fell.

"These men and women sacrificed years of their lives and countless early mornings to be the best in the world," Trump said, before adding: "That's right. I guess you get up early in the morning, don't you? I remember those days. But I didn't do it as well as you. Not quite."

Most of the athletes raised their hands when Trump asked who was already training for the next Games. He noted that Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics and Salt Lake City the 2034 Winter Olympics.

The gold medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team visited the White House in February and received a roughly two-minute bipartisan standing ovation at Trump's State of the Union address that night. Members of the gold medal-winning women's team declined an invitation to that speech, citing academic and personal commitments. Two of them, Abbey Murphy and Joy Dunne, attended Thursday's event and were recognized by Trump, who also spoke at length about the men's team even though its members did not return.

In a video posted earlier Thursday on social media, ice dancers Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik indicated that they did not want to attend.

Trump largely avoided politics, though he told the group, "We've done a lot to help save women's sports," drawing only a muted reaction from some athletes. He also said the administration was "saving college sports" and called on Congress to pass legislation overhauling how they are governed, promising to sign it.