Speaking at the ceremony for the Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup victory, Trump applauded both the team’s skills and their striking appearance.
The Panthers, celebrating back-to-back championships, were dressed in navy blue suits, white shirts, and bright red ties, with some players choosing more muted shades.
“Good-looking people, young beautiful people, I hate them,” Trump said, joking about the players stealing the spotlight. He also added, “You hate standing here with all this power behind you. But I got power too. It’s called the United States military.”
Trump on the Florida Panthers: “Good-looking people. Young, beautiful people. I hate them. You hate standing here with all this power behind you. But I got power too. It’s called the United States military. I don’t care.” pic.twitter.com/PfcarKdBNr
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 15, 2026
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The event included a visit to Trump’s new Presidential Walk of Fame, a display facing the Rose Garden from the White House colonnade.
Gold-framed portraits of past presidents line the wall, with plaques describing their accomplishments or missteps. Trump made a joke about the name, saying, “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…people are going to think about that.”
The Panthers presented Trump with a golden hockey stick. Matthew Tkachuk handed it over, joking that it could be used to slash opposing players in a game. Trump smiled, repeating, “Good for slashing.” He also joked about Canada, praising the Panthers for defeating the Edmonton Oilers. “You denied Canada the Stanley Cup,” he said. “We have a little competition with Canada. This was the most dominant playoff run in history.”
The team also gave Trump a jersey with the number 47, marking him as the 47th president of the United States. Between the golden stick, the jersey, and the Walk of Fame, Trump focused as much on appearances as the team’s achievements.
The Panthers’ victory was historic, and the team clearly enjoyed the ceremony. Trump appeared entertained by their gifts, especially the golden hockey stick, which fit the White House’s new shiny decor.
Featured image via X screengrab
