Trump Honors Connor Hellebuyck at State of the Union With Presidential Medal of Freedom

During Tuesday night's State of the Union address, President Trump paused the proceedings to honor the Winnipeg Jets goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor the United States government can bestow. The House chamber, already buzzing from the presence of the gold medal-winning Team USA men's hockey team, erupted. Chants of "U-S-A" broke out as Hellebuyck was recognized.

For anyone following hockey over the past week, it felt inevitable. Especially after the backlash over the phonecall from President Trump to the men's hockey team.

Why Was Hellebuyck Honored?

During the gold medal game against Canada in Milan, Hellebuyck had stopped 41 of 42 shots, helping keep the score tied at 1-1 through regulation and overtime before Jack Hughes scored the game-winner.

One save in particular stood out. With the score tied in the second period, Canada's Mitch Marner fed a pass toward the front of the net where Devon Toews had a wide-open look. Hellebuyck, somehow anticipating the play, threw out his stick at the last possible moment to deny the goal.

"It's a dream come true," Hellebuyck said after the game. "We grinded, we battled, and this was some of the best and most fun hockey that I've ever played."

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During his State of the Union address Tuesday, Trump announced that he will award Team USA men's ICE hockey goalie Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his extraordinary performance during the 2026 Olympic Games. The men's ice hockey team took home their first gold medal since 1945 in a historic win against Canada at the Milan Winter Olympics. #PresidentialMedalofFreedom #SOTU #StateoftheUnion #ConnorHellebuyck

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The New 'Secretary of Defense'

The team flew back to the United States on a military aircraft, made stops to meet with service members, and arrived at the White House before heading to Capitol Hill for the evening. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had already given Hellebuyck an informal title along the way — jokingly dubbing him "Secretary of Defense" for his performance, a nod to Hegseth's former role.

But Tuesday night made it official in a way no nickname could. Standing in the House chamber, in front of a joint session of Congress, the president announced that the goalie would receive the nation's highest civilian honor.