Trump honors Minnesota-heavy ‘Miracle on Ice’ Olympic team

With a contingent of former players behind him, President Donald Trump signed the Congressional Gold Medal Act honoring members of the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team Friday at the White House.

“This was one of the greatest moments in the history of U.S. sports,” Trump said. “Nobody thought that one was possible”

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor given by Congress.

Several Minnesotans from the team gathered in the Oval Office, including Neal Broten, Buzz Schneider and Phil Verchota. Led by legendary coach Herb Brooks of St. Paul, the 1980 Olympic team included 12 Minnesota players. Nine members had played for Brooks’ Golden Gophers, which had won three national titles in six years.

Dan Brooks, son of Herb Brooks, attended the signing on behalf of his father, who died in a 2003 car crash.

His dad “believed in the American hockey player,” he said. “He believed in this country. He loved this team.”

The new law awards three Congressional Gold Medals to the team, which memorably beat the Soviet Union 4-3 during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. and went on to top Finland for the gold medal.

Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber introduced the bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medals. Stauber is a former professional hockey player who represents northeastern Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District and lives in Hermantown.

Both Stauber and Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer were at the signing. Stauber said he was “in awe of these hockey heroes” who “changed the game of hockey.”

“It was a powerful, dominant performance that this country needed,” he said.

With the win over the Soviet Union, America’s team of college students defeated what was considered one of the greatest hockey teams ever assembled. The victory boosted American morale and patriotism in the midst of the Cold War, a recession and the ongoing Iran hostage crisis.

Team captain Mike Eruzione said the 1980 gold medal was “incredible,” but the Congressional Medal was “the frosting on the cake.”

Trump complimented Minnesota’s “good hockey blood,” but couldn’t stop himself from criticizing Gov. Tim Walz, Somalia and Rep. Ilhan Omar, as he has in recent days.

“Minnesota is going to come back,” Trump said. “I’m so impressed that so many of these champions come from Minnesota.”

The entire Minnesota congressional delegation supported Stauber’s resolution, which passed unanimously earlier this year out of both chambers.

But most of the six Democrats in the delegation said they did not get an invitation to attend the White House event.

Asked why the Democrats weren’t invited, the White House pointed to a recent impeachment vote against the president that most of Minnesota’s Democrats supported in the House.

Sen. Tina Smith called the game “iconic” and “an upset nobody saw coming.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the team “made all Americans believe in miracles.”