In the midst of a current commercial war with their neighbors to the north (with whom they share this sports league), President Donald Trump avoided politics while welcoming the Stanley Cup champions to the White House.
The Florida Panthers arrived a day before their match against the High Flight Washington capitals and visited the president's mansion on Monday.
They brought the Lord Stanley Cup in tow and waited patiently while Trump arrived almost an hour late to this room.
In the end it turned out that, the reason for Trump's late arrival was because he was discussing the ongoing tariff war that voluntarily has been put with Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The conversation ended with both parties agreed to stop any potential tariff for 30 days.
So Trump was able to direct all his attention to his guests and during his fist in his second presidency, welcomed the champions of an American sports league.
President Trump welcomed the Stanley Florida Panthers champion to the White House
Trump offers comments in the presence of the Stanley Cup at the White House on Monday
L A R: Panthers Aleksander Barkov Captain, President Trump, star of the Matthew Tkachuk Panthers
Among the attendees was the owner of the Panthers, Vinnie Viola, whom Trump made references repeated to his friendship.
Viola, graduated from West Point, was once briefly nominated for Trump for the Secretary of the Army during his first term in office. However, Viola withdrew from consideration.
Presented to the recently inugured president there was a golden stick and two custom t-shirts: one that said 'Trump 47' and another that said 'Trump 45-47'.
When speaking, Trump praised the Panthers in an 'incredible season' in 2023-24.
“You assured the title of the Atlantic Division for the third time and after arriving just before the Stanley Cup the previous year, it gave fans one of the most fascinating returns in the history of the NHL, in any sports history,” Trump said.
Trump also joked about how Panthers players wore red ties, a wink to the colors of his team.
Trump, who was using a red tie, commented: 'I love all these ties. This is so nice. Look at them where I entered, I said, I think they like Trump. I like them.
The alternative captain of Panthers, Matthew Tkachuk, was one of the few players to make statements in the lectern.
Trump arrived an hour after talking to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
President Trump admires the championship ring of the chief coach of the Panthers, Paul Maurice,
'This is an incredible day for me. You wake up every day and really grateful to be American, “Tkachuck said before shaking Trump's hand.
After the ceremony, players and Panthers staff They were invited to the oval office to get photos.
Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers last season in seven games to win the first Stanley Cup in the franchise.
This season, the Panthers are once again one of the best teams in sport, leading the Atlantic division and sat seventh in general in the NHL classification.