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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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A viral Threads post is fueling a wave of amusement online after highlighting the starkly different meals enjoyed by Team USA’s hockey squads following their gold‑medal wins at the 2026 Milano‑Cortina Winter Olympics.
While the U.S. women’s team dined in Milan with actor Stanley Tucci during their tournament downtime, the men’s team was photographed eating McDonald’s at the White House.
“I’m sorry, the women's team having lunch with legend Stanley Tucci while the dudes were served Big Macs at the WH is KILLING ME,” Chidinma Anyanwu (@amay.a100) wrote, a post that went on to garner over one million views. Newsweek reached out to the White House's press office and to USA Hockey for comment via email.
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The women’s team, before their February 19 overtime victory over Canada, shared a meal with Tucci at his favorite Milan restaurant during a day off between games.
Meanwhile, the men’s team—who secured their own gold on February 22, also in a 2–1 overtime win against Canada—accepted President Donald Trump’s invitation to Washington. During their White House visit, Trump served the players stacks of McDonald’s double cheeseburgers on February 25.
The men’s and women’s teams appeared further divided after a post‑game phone call between President Trump and the victorious men’s squad went viral.
During the congratulatory call, Trump joked that he would “probably be impeached” if he didn’t also invite the women’s team to the White House. The men, crowded around FBI Director Kash Patel’s phone, laughed—a moment that circulated rapidly and sparked significant criticism.
Trump’s joke was widely perceived as diminishing the women’s achievement, despite the fact that they had clinched their third Olympic gold just three days earlier, while the U.S. men’s team had earned its first Olympic hockey gold in 46 years.
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The women’s team declined Trump’s invitation to attend the February 25 State of the Union due to scheduling conflicts.
A team spokesperson told media outlets on Wednesday: “Players are back competing with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the midst of their season. They're honored and grateful to be invited and any opportunity to visit the White House as a team will be based on their schedules once their seasons conclude.”
Threads users were quick to amplify the contrast between the teams’ experiences:
“Tucci is amazing… they won 10x over!” shared another user.
“They didn't even get Big Macs. They got double cheeseburgers no fries. You know the burgers that are on the value menu,” said Jen G.
“First they win Olympic Gold, then they win the Stanley Cup!” said Sarah Unger.
“When people talk about ‘national treasures’ and mention Dolly Parton, Keanu Reeves, etc., Stanley Tucci is always overlooked. He belongs up on that same pedestal!” said Don Teague.
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