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Greg Wyshynski
Multiple Authors
Brady Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators and a gold medalist with Team USA, expressed his disapproval of an AI-manipulated video released by the White House that falsely portrayed him as disrespecting Canadians.
The video, shared on Sunday by the White House’s TikTok account, contained altered clips from a news conference featuring the Tkachuk brothers at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. As “Free Bird,” Team USA’s goal anthem played in the background, Tkachuk appeared to say, “They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup eating f—s a lesson.”
This clip, which indicates that it utilized AI-generated content, has garnered 11.1 million views on TikTok and has been widely circulated on other social media platforms.
“It’s obviously fake, since that’s neither my voice nor my lips moving,” Tkachuk stated during a media appearance in Ottawa, following the U.S. victory over Canada in the men’s Olympic ice hockey final in Milan. “I don’t manage any of these accounts, and I can assure you those words would never come from me. So, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Tkachuk was queried about his thoughts on the video.
“It’s neither my voice nor my message,” he replied. “I would never say anything like that. That’s just not who I am, so I guess I don’t like the video since those words wouldn’t ever come from me, nor have I ever thought that way.”
plus, Tkachuk addressed the rumors surrounding an incident during Team USA’s locker room celebration. Some users on social media suggested that he was the one who yelled, “Close the northern border!” during a congratulatory call with President Donald Trump.
“I’ve seen people assume it’s me. But if you watch the video, it’s clear that it’s not my voice, and it’s not something I would ever say,” Tkachuk remarked. “I don’t understand how that gained traction, considering I invest everything I have here.”
“It’s astonishing how quickly things can spread on social media. I would never say anything of that sort.”
During that call, Trump made a well-known remark about the U.S. women’s hockey team, which also secured an Olympic gold.
When he invited the men’s team to Washington for the State of the Union address, Trump stated, “I must tell you, we’ll have to bring the women’s team along, you know that,” and added with laughter that if he failed to also invite them, “I believe I probably would be impeached.” Many players found the joke amusing.
Team USA standout Hilary Knight expressed on “SportsCenter” that she viewed it as a “distasteful” joke that is “unfortunately overshadowing” her team’s achievements in Milan. Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, who also played for Team USA, commented on Wednesday that “we should’ve responded differently.”
Like many American players, Tkachuk discussed the strong rapport between the men’s and women’s teams during the Olympics, from attending each other’s matches to socializing until 3 a.m. at the Olympic Village café after the men celebrated their championship win.
Tkachuk acknowledged the reason why women’s players might feel offended by Trump’s comment.
“I understand their perspective,” he said. “We support them, and they support us. You can’t control what others say. It was a pleasure being around them, enjoying their excellence and skill.”
“When I see one of them, we discuss the excitement of what we can control, which is being gold medalists.”
Regarding the men’s team’s reaction to Trump’s comment, Tkachuk stated that the players were “a bit taken aback.”
“I don’t really have an explanation for it. It was a whirlwind moment,” he shared. “You can’t control what someone says. I guess we were surprised a little bit. You’re talking to the president just ten minutes after achieving your dream.”
Brady Tkachuk is one of five Team USA players whose NHL teams are located in Canada. He celebrated in Miami with his teammates before attending the State of the Union Address in Washington and then returning to Ottawa.
“It felt special,” he said. “As an American citizen, you never really expect to see the White House and step into the Oval Office.”
still, Tkachuk acknowledged the awkwardness of helping the U.S. defeat Canada for the gold medal while serving as captain of a team based in Canada’s capital—a role he has held for the past five seasons in Ottawa.
“The fan base is incredibly passionate,” he explained. “I mentioned this after the 4 Nations: It feels unique when the support is there every day, but for three weeks, they aren’t cheering for you. It’s a peculiar feeling.”
“I’ve given every ounce of dedication I have as an Ottawa Senator. Representing the U.S. is about embracing my identity as an American. It’s an honor. Only three teams have ever won the gold medal. I wanted to fulfill my childhood dream and bring back a gold medal to the U.S.”
