Brady Tkachuk addressed a viral claim that he shouted “close the northern border” during Team USA’s call with President Donald Trump. The allegation surfaced after a locker room video circulated online following the Americans’ Olympic gold medal win over Canada.
After the game, FBI Director Kash Patel joined the team and got Trump on the line to congratulate the team on their success. The president also ended up inviting the team to the State of the Union to celebrate the win over their northern rivals.
ESPN reporter Greg Wyshynski noted on X that fans accused Tkachuk of making the comment. However, Tkachuk pushed back on the claim.
“I’ve been seeing stuff that people think it’s me. But if you watch the video, it’s not my voice and something that I never say.”
Tkachuk made it clear he would not use that phrase and denied any involvement in the remark.
“I don’t know how that took a storm on its own when I give everything I have here,” Tkachuk said. “It’s crazy when things go on social media, how fast they go. I would never say anything like that.”
Tkachuk, who’s currently serves as captain for the Ottawa Senators has since returned to Canada to train with his NHL teammates ahead of their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.
What did Trump say about Team USA women’s players?
In the video, several players responded with cheers in the video and thanked Trump for his gesture. However, the interaction turned controversial across social media over the week. Especially after Trump’s message on the women’s hockey team.
“I must tell you (USA men’s players), we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?” Trump mentioned on call. “I do believe that I would probably be impeached [if the women’s team were not invited].”
Team USA’s run at the 2026 Olympics included wins over Latvia, Denmark, and Germany in group play. The Americans then beat Sweden in overtime and handled Slovakia in the semifinals before topping Canada for gold.
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