The White House found itself at the center of yet another AI-generated video controversy — but this time it went a step further. Rather than merely sharing questionable content, officials circulated a fabricated clip that appeared to attribute disparaging remarks about Canada to U.S. hockey winger Brady Tkachuk.
The AI-generated video featured a voice resembling Tkachuk describing Canadians as “maple syrup eating (expletive).” The slur was censored with a beep. Although the clip included a small disclaimer noting it was AI-generated, that didn’t stop some viewers from believing the comments reflected Tkachuk’s real views.
The timing couldn’t have been more awkward. Tkachuk not only represents the United States internationally — he also captains the Ottawa Senators, a Canadian NHL franchise. It was inevitable he would be asked to explain himself.
The Trump White House has not been shy about courting controversy online. Past incidents have included racially charged content involving former President Barack Obama, insensitive jokes about deportations, and posts speculating about Trump becoming pope. Critics have also accused staffers of amplifying messaging through coordinated bot activity. Against that backdrop, the AI hockey video felt less like an isolated misstep and more like part of a pattern.
Tkachuk was quick to distance himself. According to NBC, he said, “I’ve been seeing stuff that people think it’s me, but if you watch the video, that’s not my voice and something that I would never say.” He added, “I don’t really know how that kind of took a storm on its own when I play here and give everything I have here.”
The controversy came on the heels of a dramatic Olympic showdown. Sunday’s overtime gold medal game between the United States and Canada was an instant classic, with the U.S. edging out Canada 2–1 to claim gold. It was the kind of game that typically ends with mutual respect and sportsmanship.
Instead, the victory quickly became politicized. Online, some MAGA-aligned commentators framed the win less as an athletic triumph and more as a symbolic defeat of Canada. The administration’s social media tone mirrored that approach, leaning into mockery rather than congratulatory diplomacy.
At one point, FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly joined the team in the locker room celebration, popping champagne alongside players. Whether he was formally invited remains unclear, but his presence underscored just how intertwined politics and the moment had become.
Not all players appeared uncomfortable with the political spotlight. Several members of the U.S. men’s hockey team later attended the president’s contentious State of the Union address. Meanwhile, after the U.S. women’s hockey team also secured Olympic gold, Trump joked that failing to invite them to the White House might get him impeached — a remark that drew both laughter and eye rolls.
For his part, Tkachuk opted for restraint. “First and foremost, I’ve given absolutely everything I have as an Ottawa Senator — blood, sweat and tears,” he said. Later adding, “You can’t control what other people say.”
Winning a gold medal is hard enough — now you also have to dodge becoming collateral damage in someone else’s culture war.
Published: Feb 27, 2026 03:39 pm