U.S. Hockey Star Slams White House AI Video Featuring Insulting Remarks About Canadians
Brady Tkachuk, captain of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and a U.S. ice hockey gold medalist, has publicly denounced an AI-generated video released by the White House that falsely portrays him making derogatory comments about Canadians.
In the controversial clip shared on TikTok, Tkachuk allegedly states, “They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup-eating f**ks a lesson.” The video quickly garnered over 11 million views, sparking a wave of negative comments directed at Canada.
“It’s clearly fake, because it’s not my voice, and not my lips moving,” Tkachuk clarified during a press conference ahead of a game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Canadian Tire Centre. His frustration was evident as he addressed reporters.
“I mean, I’m not in control of any of those accounts and yeah, so I know that those words would never come out of my mouth, so I can’t do anything about it,” he added, emphasizing his disapproval of the video.
When pressed about whether he found the video amusing, Tkachuk responded, “Did I like it? I mean, it’s not my voice, not what I was saying. So, um, yeah, I mean, I would never say that. That’s not who I am. So yeah, I guess I don’t like that video.”
The White House has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Tkachuk's reaction to the video.
The U.S. men’s hockey team, which celebrated its Olympic gold medal victory with a beer-chugging session alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, has faced backlash from some fans. Following their win, they received a call from President Trump and shared laughter over his disparaging remarks about the women’s team, which also secured gold.
Tkachuk defended the men’s team’s support for their female counterparts. When asked about his reaction to Trump’s joke regarding inviting the women’s team, he admitted he didn’t have a clear answer and described the post-victory experience as a “whirlwind.”
“You can’t really control what somebody says and it just, I guess, caught off guard a little bit, but I know you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieved your dream,” he explained.
Speculation arose online suggesting Tkachuk shouted “close the northern border” during the celebration with Patel; however, he firmly denied making such a statement. “If you watch the video, that’s not my voice and something that I’d never say,” he asserted.
Tkachuk was part of the 20 U.S. players who visited the White House post-victory and enjoyed a meal from McDonald’s. The team also attended Tuesday’s State of the Union address, where Trump announced that goalie Connor Hellebuyck would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.
