After the U.S. men’s hockey team won an Olympic gold medal, President Donald Trump celebrated with the players via a phone call while FBI Director Kash Patel was also with the team in their locker room at that moment. “Here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud: the men’s gold medal Olympic hockey team,” Trump told the players. After inviting the men’s team to the White House, Trump continued,  “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team. You do know that,” because he said he would “probably be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women. Not surprisingly, the women’s team later announced that they would not go to the White House to celebrate their own gold-medal victory.

As a well-known sports fan, Trump in many instances has immersed himself in the world of sports. For example, Trump lashed out at American Olympian Hunter Hess regarding his views that he had “mixed emotions” about being a representative for the US in the Olympics due to the political climate. Trump referred to the skier as a “real loser” and continued to demean Hess.

Trump hasn’t stopped at phone calls and tweets and has gone further to influence sports in policy. Recently, he signed an Executive Order to “save college sports” by limiting NCAA athletes to a five-year playing window. The bill limits athletes to one unrestricted transfer and seeks to prevent student-athletes from being classified as employees of their schools. Last year, Trump threatened to block a stadium deal for the Washington Commanders unless they go back to their former name, “Redskins,” criticizing the name changes as “politically correct.”

Politics and sports have mixed for decades, and oftentimes, sports figures have influenced cultural and political change. And while there have been previous presidents who were sports fans,  Trump takes it to an extent in which he directly immerses himself in the sports world.

The intertwining of sports and politics has consistently occurred due to both spheres dealing with identity, power, and public influence. Sports can be used to promote political messages, protest injustice, represent national identity, or influence public opinion. With a massive audience and influential athletes who transcend their sports, these messages spread quickly and rapidly. Trump appears to see sports as another megaphone through which he can project his views, even if it is an unwelcome distraction from the actual athletic performances.