{"id":2573235,"date":"2026-02-24T23:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T04:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-to-award-usa-hockey-goalie-with-presidential-medal-of-freedom\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T23:11:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T04:11:51","slug":"trump-to-award-usa-hockey-goalie-with-presidential-medal-of-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-to-award-usa-hockey-goalie-with-presidential-medal-of-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump to award USA hockey goalie with Presidential Medal of Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-to-award-usa-hockey-goalie-with-presidential-medal-of-freedom%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2573235&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Donald Trump announced he will award U.S. men\u2019s hockey goaltender Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/explainer-who-is-brittney-griner-and-what-is-her-fate-in-russia\/\" title=\"Explainer-Who is Brittney Griner and what is her fate in Russia?\">highest civilian honour<\/a>. He praised Hellebuyck\u2019s performance in the gold-medal game against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, noting that hellebuyck stopped 41 of 42 shots and helped the U.S. win its first hockey gold as 1980. The award will be presented during Trump\u2019s Tuesday night remarks after welcoming the team into the chamber, just two days after <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >thier gold-medal victory<\/a>. Trump also extended an invitation for the team to attend the State of the Union address during a phone call with FBI Director Kash Patel. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established in 1945, recognizes lifetime achievements in arts, public service, science, and othre fields. The piece for the washington Examiner includes input from contributor Christian Datoc.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">USA hockey goalie Connor Hellebuyck to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2515404\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> announced he will award U.S. men&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hockey\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3162\">hockey<\/a> team goaltender Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never seen a goaltender play as well as goalie Connor Hellebuyck,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;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.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/sports\/4468185\/us-women-hockey-decline-invitation-state-of-the-union\/\">US women&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-womens-hockey-team-declines-invite-to-state-of-the-union\/\" title=\"US women&#039;s ... declines invite to ... of the Union\">hockey team declines invitation<\/a> to State of the Union<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/sports\/4467614\/maryland-restaurant-free-crabcakes-olympic-hockey\/\">Maryland seafood restaurant offers free crabcakes for life to US Olympic hockey teams<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4467072\/patel-defends-olympics-trip-partying-with-hockey-team\/\">Patel defends Olympics trip after footage shows him partying with US hockey team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The president announced he would honor Hellebuyck during his Tuesday night remarks after welcoming members of the team, including Hellebuyck, into the chamber, just two days after they took home gold over Canada in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/olympics\/\">2026 Winter&nbsp;Olympic&nbsp;Games<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hellebuy saved 41 of Canada&rsquo;s 42 shots during the gold medal game Sunday, playing a major role in the first gold medal for the team since 1980.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/live-blog\/trump-state-of-the-union-2026-live-updates\/\">LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP DELIVERS 2026 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Presidential Medal of Freedom, created in 1945, is awarded by the president and is often presented to individuals to recognize a lifetime of significant achievements in the arts, public service, science, or other fields.<\/p>\n<p>Trump extended the team <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4467130\/trump-invites-us-hockey-team-to-attend-state-of-the-union\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4467130\">an invitation to his address<\/a> during a phone call Sunday with FBI Director Kash Patel, who was celebrating with the team following its overtime win.<\/p>\n<p><em>Christian Datoc contributed to this report. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump to award Hellebuyck the Medal of Freedom<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2573236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26056104912504.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[74514,3634,74320],"class_list":["post-2573235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-presidential-medal-of-freedom-2","tag-trump","tag-usa-hockey-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26056104912504.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2573235"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2573239,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573235\/revisions\/2573239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2573236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2573235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2573235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2573235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}