President Donald Trump hosted more than 120 members of Team USA’s Winter Olympic and Paralympic teams at the White House on Aug. 6, 2026, to recognize their achievements at the recent Milano Cortina Games. The reception in the White House Rose Garden honored a contingent of athletes who secured a record number of medals for the United States.
American athletes returned with 57 total medals from the Milano Cortina Games, including 25 gold medals. Trump highlighted this as a historic Winter Games for the U.S., marking the most gold medals ever won by American athletes in a single Winter Olympics. Team USA also achieved its highest medal count outside of North America, with 33 medals.
The Paralympic team contributed significantly to the overall medal count, with 72 Paralympians earning 13 gold medals across five sports. A notable achievement was the sled hockey team’s fifth consecutive gold medal victory, which Trump described as one of the greatest dynasties in international sports.
During his remarks, Trump specifically mentioned the men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams, both of which defeated Canada in overtime. He recalled celebrating with the men’s team after their gold medal win and noted the women’s team’s performance as historic.
Two Olympians, forwards Joy Dunne and Abbey Murphy, were present at the event. Trump had previously invited the men's Olympic hockey team to a State of the Union address and had faced some backlash for a remark about inviting the women's team as well. While some athletes were unable to attend due to their active schedules, Dunne and Murphy were among those present at the White House reception.
As a memento of their accomplishments, Trump was presented with a Team USA varsity jacket and a new pair of shoes by multiple Paralympic medalist Laurie Stephens and bobsledder Frank Del Duca.
The president also looked ahead to future Winter Games, mentioning that Salt Lake City is slated to host the 2034 Winter Games. Athletes unable to attend the reception were already in training for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are scheduled to be held in the French Alps.