Donald Trump seized the spotlight with a spirited introduction of Team USA’s Olympic hockey champions, launching himself into what a body language expert described as ‘performer mode’ during the State of the Union address. This shift in demeanor marked a stark contrast before he later took aim at the Democrats.

In what turned out to be the longest State of the Union speech to date, extending beyond an hour and 40 minutes, the President invited the gold medal-winning team into the House chamber at the Capitol. Their triumphant 2-1 victory over Canada was celebrated with fervor.

Judi James, a specialist in body language, observed that this exuberant moment allowed Trump to transition into a theatrical style. “His delivery reached a peak as he built up to announcing the medal-winning hockey team,” she explained to the Daily Mail. “He suddenly picked up the pace, engaging in an unusual mimicry of Americans pleading with him about the country winning too much.”

This marked a new level of hyperbole for a president known for his grandiose claims. Trump has moved from declaring everything as ‘the best’ to suggesting that the nation is now winning excessively.

The entrance of the team, accompanied by chants, provided Trump the opportunity to embrace his role as a showman, offering a relief from the tense and confrontational tone that characterized the first part of his address.

‘The arrival and chants for the team allowed Trump to switch to showman, performer mode at last after a tense and rather belligerent-looking first half.’

Donald Trump gave a passionate introduction to the Team USA hockey heroes on Tuesday

The Winter Olympics gold medalists were present in the House chamber at the US Capitol

Goalscoring hero Jack Hughes (bottom left) and his teammates were honored by Republicans

Trump also revealed that the women’s hockey team, which also defeated Canada to win gold, will ‘soon’ visit the White House after they declined his initial offer. 

That moment saw Democrats, who previously remained seated for the men’s team, finally get to their feet. 

On how Trump used that to his advantage, James added: ‘He was able to crow about how it was the first time half the room had got up, clearly delighting in how he had forced both sides of the house to rise and applaud.’

Led by goalscoring hero Jack Hughes and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the players entered through two sets of doors and walked down the rows of the press gallery. 

Delighted Republicans cheered and chanted ‘USA!’ several times, many even pumping fists, while the Democrats’ muted reaction caused fury on social media.

Lisa McClain, the Republican House Conference Chair, shouted ‘Love you!’ to the players.

‘I want to thank you all,’ Trump told the players. ‘What a special job you did. What special champions you are.’

Trump announced that Hellebuyck, who stopped 41 shots in the gold medal game, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Hellebuyck tapped his heart as those in the chamber applauded.

Trump said: ‘They beat a fantastic Canadian team in overtime, as everybody saw. As did the American women, who will soon be coming to the White House.

Lisa McClain, the Republican House Conference Chair, shouted ‘Love you!’ to the players

Trump announced that Connor Hellebuyck would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom

‘They were in the Oval Office before and I just want to say a second big congratulations to Team USA. We took a vote and I said “if anybody votes no, I’m not doing it.” They said they weren’t about to say no because they’ve never seen a goaltender play as well as Connor Hellebuyck.

‘I asked him, “the one shot where you put your stick in the back and it hit the neck of your stick and bounced off, did you practice that or was it a little lucky?” He refused to answer that question.

‘But I just want to tell you that the members of this great hockey squad will be very happy to hear, based on their vote and my vote and in this case my vote was more important, that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor which is the Presidential Medal of Freedom.’

The men’s team spent Tuesday in Washington DC after being invited by Trump in the celebratory locker room phone call that has since divided America after it emerged on Sunday.

Trump joked he would ‘be impeached’ if he didn’t extend the same White House invite to the women’s team, who also won gold in Milan, and they later chose not to accept.

Following a riotous night of celebrating in Miami on Monday, the men’s team met Trump in the Oval Office as he prepared to deliver his State of the Union address.

There were 20 members of the 25-man Winter Olympics roster in Washington DC with five choosing to skip the trip: Kyle Connor, Jake Oettinger, Brock Nelson, Jake Guentzel and Jackson LaCombe.

Videos and photos shared on social media by Trump administration aides throughout Tuesday documented their trip. They showed players posing for a photograph in front of the South Portico. 

President Trump welcomed 20 of the 25-man roster into the Oval Office earlier on Tuesday

The Republican leader slipped on a gold medal before posing for pictures with the team

They showed hockey team members posing for a photograph in front of the South Portico

They walked along the West Wing colonnade where Trump has posted portraits of every U.S. president just steps away from the Oval Office.

As they approached the Oval Office, some of the players popped into the press office’s open door to flash the medals from their 2-1 overtime win over Canada on Sunday.

It was the Americans’ first gold medal in men’s hockey since the ‘Miracle on Ice’ group won in Lake Placid, New York, in 1980. Staffers applauded and shouted, ‘We love you!’

‘I recognize every one of you. I know every one of you,’ Trump said as the players entered the Oval Office, which he has redecorated with numerous flourishes of gold that matched the players’ medals.

‘Big guys,’ he said, standing near his desk and shaking hands with the players, who wore dark tops with ‘USA,’ the American flag and the Olympic rings on the front and light colored pants.