Congratulations to Canada, the Canadian national hockey team defeated the American team in the 4 Nations face-off last night. The larger political issues between Canada and the US had been playing out within the hockey tournament in the past two weeks, with Canadians loudly booing the “Star Spangled Banner” and Canadian and American players beefing, as well as fans beefing. Last weekend, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referenced the hockey games and the Canadian-American strained alliance during the Invictus Games, and Trudeau once again spoke out last night after Canada defeated the US.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a pointed message for President Donald Trump after Canada’s ice hockey team beat Team USA in overtime on Thursday.
“You can’t take our country—and you can’t take our game,” the outgoing PM wrote on X after Canada defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The matchup had become the most anticipated international hockey game in more than a decade after a political battle between the North American neighbors spilled out onto the arena, Axios reported. Trump has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st American state and referred to Trudeau as “governor” since winning re-election in November. He has also threatened to start a trade war with one of the U.S.’s closest allies and biggest trading partners, which has left even conservative Canadian politicians fuming.
All of that apparently inspired Canadian crowds to boo the “Star Spangled Banner” during two Team USA games played earlier in the tournament. When Canada and the U.S. faced off in a first-round game last weekend, three fights broke out in the first nine seconds—all apparently pre-planned by a trio of American players, according to Axios.
Team USA’s general manager then told Fox News his team would “love it” if Trump attended the finals game against Canada. On Thursday, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that he couldn’t make it, but used the opportunity to take yet another swipe at Canada.
“I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State,” he wrote. He added that he couldn’t attend the game because he was speaking before the U.S. governors in Washington, D.C. “We will all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would like to join us, he would be most welcome,” Trump wrote.
America is such an embarrassment, my god. The shame I feel that Trump is doing this on the world stage, that he’s this hostile to CANADA for the love of God. Anyway, if you see Canadians gloating online today, it’s because of this. Let them have it and wish them well. As I said, I totally get why they booed our anthem and I’m glad they got this win.
— Bennett (@Bennett_F7) February 21, 2025
Singing O Canada loud and proud after winning the #4Nations Face-Off.
What a feeling. pic.twitter.com/81wQ11f1w5
— NHL (@NHL) February 21, 2025
Canadian hockey twitter rn pic.twitter.com/NIPVmXW7CK
— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) February 21, 2025
This guy is standing outside TD Garden in Boston ahead of the Canada/USA hockey game… pic.twitter.com/QbQQweheSj
— Thomas Daigle (@thomasdaigle) February 20, 2025
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
