President Donald Trump recently extended his congratulations to the Florida Panthers for their remarkable playoff journey, while also complimenting them on their striking appearance. The occasion was marked by the team presenting him with a golden gift on Thursday.
The event was held in honor of the Panthers’ triumph in the 2025 Stanley Cup, marking their impressive second consecutive victory. President Trump applauded the team for both their athletic prowess and their good looks, referring to them as ‘strapping’ and full of ‘power.’
In a light-hearted moment, Trump quipped, “Good-looking people, young beautiful people, I hate them,” playfully suggesting the players might be stealing some of his limelight.
He continued, “You hate standing here with all this power behind you. But I got power too. It’s called the United States military,” drawing a humorous comparison between the team’s strength and his own presidential authority.
The championship team made a striking appearance, donning outfits synonymous with Trump’s style: navy blue suits, crisp white shirts, and bold red ties, although a few players opted for subtler shades of red.
After highlighting their achievements and charm, Trump noted that the team members were set to take a walk down his newly inaugurated Presidential Walk of Fame, adding a ceremonial touch to the celebration.
The West Wing display that faces the Rose Garden from the colonnade exhibits portraits of past presidents with plaques describing their contributions or misdeeds.
The gold-framed portraits have been the cause of much controversy, with some critics labeling them as gaudy and poorly designed, though Trump on Thursday was more focused on the name being eerily similar to ‘the walk of shame.’
President Donald Trump speaks with Florida Panthers player Matthew Tkachuk during an event honoring the 2025 Stanley Cup Champions
Florida Panthers Matthew Tkachuk praised the president for inviting the team to the White House and noted how it was an honor to return for the second year in a row after their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins
After the event, Trump walked out with his new hockey stick
‘We’re going to pass the Presidential Wall of Fame,’ the president said before launching into a side story.
He continued: ‘So I had a choice, walk of fame or wall of fame. And you know what I decided, right? It said walk because I think of the walk of shame. This was an interesting situation. That was the one reason I didn’t want to do that, because I said, people are going to think about that.’
The team made the president smile with a gift of a golden hockey stick, a present that would fit in well, given the White House’s new dazzling decor.
While delivering his speech, Trump spotted the glistening hockey stick and admitted that he wanted it. He joked that as president, he could take it if he wanted to.
Florida Panthers Matthew Tkachuk gave Trump the stick and noted how it would be handy in a game to slash opposing players.
The president smiled and repeated the player, ‘Good for slashing,’ he said.
Sticking it to his northern neighbors, the president joked that he was proud that the Florida team was able to beat the Edmonton Oilers and deny Canada a Stanley Cup victory.
‘You denied Canada the Stanley Cup,’ he proclaimed.
The Stanley Cup resided on a table nearby the president during his remarks
The Presidential Walk of Fame on the exterior of the West Wing facing the Rose Garden
The new installment features portraits of past presidents and plaques with summaries of their leadership
‘We have a little competition’ with Canada, he added while calling the endeavor the ‘most dominant playoff run in history.’
In addition to the golden stick, the Panthers awarded the president with a jersey emblazoned with the number 47, an ode to Trump serving as the 47th president of the US.
