White House hosts ‘Miracle on Ice’ heroes as Trump signs bill honoring legendary 1980 Olympic hockey win
Washington – The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that shocked the Soviet Union received a fresh tribute at the White House, where President Trump met the surviving squad members to mark the day’s historic win.
Trump was flanked by players wearing cowboy hats and the famed “Miracle on Ice” emblem – a ragtag group of amateurs who pulled off a triumph that many considered impossible – as he signed a bill that officially honors their legacy.
“The whole world expected the Soviets to win – unless the ice melted,” Trump said, recapping the sheer odds the U.S. faced. The Soviet side had never lost an Olympic game since 1968 and came into Lake Placid riding a four‑gold‑medal streak.
Just weeks before the Games, the USSR had beaten the Americans 10‑3 in an exhibition match. “It was not pretty,” Trump added. “People weren’t even looking forward to this game.”
February 22, 1980, turned out to be the night the U.S. went from underdogs to champions. The team pushed through the tournament, clawing back after trailing three times to survive what many call the longest, most tense 10 minutes in sports history.
“That team united us,” Trump declared. “They inspired us. Nobody thought it was possible. But it showed that anything is possible.”
Key figures honored that evening included goaltender Jim Craig—who famously stood on his head after a Soviet streak of shots in the second period—and captain Mike Eruzione, who scored the decisive goal to make it 4‑3.
Eruzione grinned as he spoke, thanking Trump for the recognition. “What an honor it was for us to put that jersey on and accomplish what we accomplished,” he said. “I’ve always said the gold medal is something that’s incredible, but this is the frosting on the cake to receive an honor like this.”
During a Q&A, he pointed out that the miracle didn’t end with the Soviet loss. “If we don’t beat Finland, we’re not here,” he reminded reporters. “We closed the deal.”
The 1980 squad was made up of college players in their teens and early twenties, as Olympic rules at the time barred professionals. They were pitted against a Soviet roster of older athletes who, while playing at a level comparable to NHL stars, were blocked from joining major league teams by Communist-era restrictions.
The victory over the Soviets came during the first medal round, prompting announcer Al Michaels to punctuate the moment with, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” – a phrase that has since become synonymous with the event.
In their ultimate goal‑clinching game, the Americans triumphed over Finland 4‑2 to secure gold.
The bill signed by Trump was introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber, a former hockey player himself. He described the 1980 win as a turning point for the nation, stating, “They changed the game of hockey. They gave this country the strength it needed at a time when we needed it.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer echoed that sentiment, pointing out the players’ impact on the nation as a whole. “It didn’t matter where they came from—Minnesota, Massachusetts, Michigan,” he said. “They were all Americans.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, who co‑sponsored the bill with Stauber, highlighted Lake Placid’s place in the 21st Congressional District of New York as a historic landmark. She added, “Lake Placid in New York’s 21st Congressional District is home to the famed Miracle on Ice game that was one of the most significant moments in sports history and even more important in 20th‑century world history.”
The ceremony, held on December 12, marked the award of Congressional Gold Medals to each member of the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, a fitting tribute to a team that embodied the grit and spirit that defined an era.
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