As Quinn and Jack Hughes’ mom, Ellen Hughes is basking in the “surreal” wake of Team USA’s men’s and women’s hockey teams winning gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

But the mother of three NHL stars — who works as a player development coach for Team USA’s women’s hockey team — is speaking out about the State of the Union controversy in which President Donald Trump said he would “have to bring the women’s team” to the annual address, while he warmly extended an invitation to the men’s team.

The women’s team declined their invitation to the speech, which takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 24. That same day, Ellen said in an interview on the Today show that “at the end of the day, it’s just about the country.”

“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” Ellen added. “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.”

Grace Zumwinkle, Ellen Hughes and Taylor Heise of USA celebrate after the women's ice hockey final game between USA and Canada during day 13 of the 2026 Winter Olympics on February 19, 2026 in Milan.

Grace Zumwinkle, Ellen Hughes and Taylor Heise.EMMA WALLSKOG/BILDBYRAN/Shutterstock

“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” Ellen said. “And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity and they care about the country.”

After Team USA’s men’s team clinched the gold in an overtime win over Team Canada on Sunday, Feb. 22, Trump invited them to attend his State of the Union and to visit the White House during a phone call inside the locker room. He laughingly told the men that he would have to also invite the women’s team.

“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said. “I do believe I probably would be impeached [if the women’s team wasn’t invited].”

On Monday, the women’s team, who won their gold medal game against Canada on Thursday, Feb. 19, turned down the invitation.

“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” a spokesperson for USA Hockey told NBC News. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”

The spokesperson said that the athletes “were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”

PEOPLE reached out to the White House for a comment on the women’s team declining the invitation, but did not hear back at the time of publication.