White House press secretary says President Donald Trump looking forward to Team USA ‘beating our soon-to-be 51st state, Canada’
“We’d like you to kick their a—- again because you don’t boo the United States of America,” Vance said to Florida-based media personality Benny Johnson, referring to the booing during the U.S. National anthem during the team’s first game of the tournament on Saturday in Montreal, a tense and tightly-contested 3-1 Team USA win.
Vance continued that if Canada doesn’t win, “the tariffs are even higher” before saying he was joking and noting it’s Trump’s decision.
Elsewhere in Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt opined on the highly-anticipated rematch.
“President Trump looks forward to watching the game tonight — and we look forward to the United States beating our soon-to-be 51st state, Canada,” she said in the briefing room.
Trump announced his planned pep talk in a post to Truth Social Thursday morning that also included another jab at Canada becoming the 51st state and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I will be speaking before the Governors tonight in D.C., and will sadly, therefore, be unable to attend. But we will all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would like to join us, he would be most welcome.”
Puck drop in the championship game at TD Garden in Boston is 8 p.m.