White House Ceremony Honors US Olympic and Paralympic Athletes

On Thursday, President Donald Trump hosted a ceremony at the White House to honor dozens of Olympic and Paralympic athletes from the United States, celebrating their impressive performance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, where the U.S. delegation secured a total of 57 medals.

According to the White House, nearly half of the members of the U.S. team that competed in Italy attended the event, alongside coaches, technical staff, and other representatives, as reported by AP.

Celebrating Athletic Excellence

Due to heavy rain, the ceremony took place in the East Room, where Trump highlighted the achievements of speed skater Jordan Stolz, whom he referred to as the most decorated American Olympic athlete of the Games. «Today, we are truly honored to welcome to the White House perhaps the greatest group of winter Olympic athletes in the history of the United States,» the President stated.

During the event, Trump received a jacket and a pair of shoes from Team USA as gifts and promised to present commemorative coins to the attendees. He also invited the athletes to tour the Oval Office after the ceremony concluded.

Recognitions and Future Aspirations

The President reminded the audience that 300 American athletes participated in this year’s Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, earning a total of 57 medals. «These men and women sacrificed years of their lives and countless early mornings to be the best in the world,» he expressed.

Trump also inquired about how many athletes were already preparing for future Olympic competitions, noting that Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympics in 2028, while Salt Lake City is set to hold the Winter Olympics in 2034.

Political Remarks and Controversies

In his speech, the President briefly touched on political issues, claiming that his administration has worked to «save women’s sports» and protect collegiate athletics through future legislative reforms. «We are doing everything we can to protect the cherished sports traditions that have been part of our nation since its inception,» he asserted.

The ceremony also recognized two members of the women’s ice hockey team, Abbey Murphy and Joy Dunne, who are Olympic champions and attended the event. However, artistic skaters Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik shared a video on social media explaining their decision not to attend the White House invitation, according to AP.