The men’s team was criticised after several players appeared to laugh when Trump made his comment, but Knight said: “I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect. That’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse.
“The guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and [is] overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on.”
US men’s player Charlie McAvoy subsequently apologised for his team’s response, saying it was “not reflective” of how his side view the women’s squad.
“Certainly sorry for how we responded to it in that moment,” the Boston Bruins player told reporters before an NHL game on Thursday. “Things just happened really quick there.
“If you know the men’s team, and if you know the relationships that we have, the amount of time that we’ve spent with the women’s team and how we’ve supported them, it’s certainly not reflective of how we feel and look at them and their accomplishments.”
Knight, 36, ended her Olympic career with 15 goals, the most by any US male or female player.
She said she hopes the Trump controversy proves to be a “really good learning point, to really focus on how we talk about women, not only in sport but in industry”.
She said: “Women aren’t less than, and their achievements shouldn’t be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are.”
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said Wednesday during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
On Feb. 19, the U.S. defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime for a third gold medal in women’s hockey; the team won gold in 1998 and 2018. Three days later, the U.S. men’s hockey team also won gold by defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime.
After the men’s game, Trump addressed the U.S. players by phone in the locker room, extending an invitation for them to attend his State of the Union address two days later and adding a seemingly dismissive comment about the women’s team.
“I must tell you, we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said during the call. By not inviting the other American gold medal hockey team, the president said, “I do believe I’d probably be impeached.”
Trump’s comment was met with loud laughter in the locker room. But Knight said she and her teammates aren’t spending much time thinking about the remark.
“We’re just trying to focus on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history, as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time and really not detract from that with a distasteful joke,” Knight, who has won two gold medals and three silvers in five Olympics with the U.S. team, said.
“It was unfortunate, but yeah, I think really focusing on celebrating all great things that have come out of the Olympics and feeling the love and the support and getting back in our respective communities and sharing this journey with them, that’s what it’s all about and that’s what makes this moment super special.”
The majority of the men’s team met with Trump at the White House on Tuesday before being honored at the State of the Union address, where they received a bipartisan standing ovation lasting about two minutes. During his address, Trump announced that goalie Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
The women’s team confirmed in a statement Monday that it declined an invitation to attend the State of the Union address “due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games.” Trump said during the address that the women’s team would be visiting the White House “very soon.”
Amid the controversy over Trump’s locker room comment, hip-hop legend Flavor Flav invited the women’s hockey team to a special event celebrating their achievement in Las Vegas. He later extended the invitation to “ALL Female US Olympians and Paralympian medalists” for the “She’s Got Game Weekend” from July 16-19.
“It was definitely super special, after everything that’s been going around online, to have someone step up like that and really go to bat for us,” forward Alex Carpenter said of Flav’s invitation during a Seattle Torrent news conference on Wednesday. “I think we’re fully gonna take advantage of that and go have some fun and celebrate like we deserve to.”
U.S.men’s team member Jeremy Swayman told reporters at Boston Bruins practice Wednesday that the laughter heard in the locker room following Trump’s comment does not reflect how the players feel about the women’s team and its accomplishments.
“Yeah, we should have reacted differently,” Swayman said. “We are so excited for the women’s team, we have so much respect for the women’s team, and to share that gold medal with them is something that we’re forever grateful for. And now that we’re home we get to share that together forever and see the incredible support we have from the USA and share in this incredible gold medal.”
Jack Hughes, who scored the winning goal for the U.S. men against Canada, said the men’s players were caught “in the moment” during the president’s call that came during the middle of their victory celebration.
“Obviously it is what it is now, but we have so much respect for the women’s team and they have so much respect for us,” Hughes told reporters after his New Jersey Devils’ 2-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. “We’re all just proud Americans and we’re happy that we both swept the Olympics.”
Knight said she thinks there is “a genuine level of support and respect” between the U.S. men’s and women’s players and called the moment a “sort of a quick lapse” by the men’s players.
“I think the guys were in a tough spot,” Knight said. “So it’s a shame that this storyline and narrative is kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering one another on.
“I think this is just a really good learning point to really focus on, you know, how we talk about women, not only in sport, but in industry.”
Discussion about the call wasn’t the only criticism of the White House from the world of Team USA hockey.
On Thursday, men’s player Brady Tkachuk said he was unhappy that the White House shared a video on TikTok that made it appear he disparaged Canadians while using profanity. The video, which also features hockey footage and part of an interview with Hughes, carries a note saying it “contains AI-generated media.”
“It’s clearly fake because it’s not my voice and not my lips moving. … I know that those words would never come out of my mouth,” Tkachuk told reporters.
He added: “I would never say that. That’s not who I am.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.
Tkachuk also denied being the voice heard shouting “close the northern border” during the team’s call with Trump.
Ira Parker intended the very last scene of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Episode 6 (titled “The Morrow”), to be just “something that was a little funny.”
Sunday’s season finale of the HBO fantasy series ends with everyone, including the royal Targaryen entourage, departing Ashford after the conclusion of the trial and tournament. Just before the credits roll, Prince Maekar, who notices his young son Aegon is once again missing, frantically shouts, “Where the f— is he?”
“To be honest, the very, very, very end was almost just meant as a joke,” the showrunner says during a recent video call. “But I think people — both in my writing camp and in the HBO camp and probably in the world — took that quite literally. So I’ve maybe had to deal with it a little bit more in Season 2 than I was planning to.”
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” showrunner Ira Parker, right, with director Sarah Adina Smith on the set of the fantasy series.
(Steffan Hill / HBO)
Starring Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as Prince Aegon Targaryen, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin novellas set in the same world as his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. These “Tales of Dunk and Egg” stories take place around 100 years before the events depicted in “Game of Thrones.”
The moment in question could be a big deal for some fans of Martin’s novellas. The scene is not included in “The Hedge Knight,” the book upon which the first season of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is based. Whether Egg had Maekar’s permission to join Dunk’s travels as his squire is left more open ended in the novella itself.
While the young prince said he had his father’s blessing, “it’s not confirmed canonically” in the book, says Parker. “We haven’t done anything egregious here, I don’t think. [And] I believe it from a character perspective. I believe that Egg would do that again, because he’s already done it. We’ve seen him. He runs away. That’s sort of his thing. And he lies to people.”
Without sharing any details, Parker teases the situation will be addressed again next season.
Dunk (Peter Claffey) in the season finale of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”
(Steffan Hill / HBO)
The showrunner, who co-created the series with Martin, admits that approaching “The Morrow” was “daunting.” Set in the aftermath of Trial of Seven, Episode 6 involved “a lot of creation” to stretch out the remaining events from the source material.
“Very early on, all of us knew that we weren’t going to add any story,” says Parker, who previously worked on “Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon.” “The story is the story. We’re going to be 100% faithful to the novellas in that respect. But where we could add, because we needed about another 50% of material in order to fill out even our six 30-minute episodes, was going to be in the characters.”
This has meant the show has spent more time with the very relatable Dunk and his precocious charge Egg. Its supporting ensemble including Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) and Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), who give Dunk a helping hand, have also been more fleshed out. This has allowed audiences to just “enjoy hanging out in this world.”
“I wasn’t always convinced that people would allow us to do it,” Parker says. “Hanging out in Westeros. It meant a little bit of a slower start. Luckily, people have come along with us on the ride. … We really just hoped that people would be charmed enough by these characters and the story and want good things for Dunk.”
Like “The Hedge Knight,” the episode concludes by teasing Dunk and Egg’s journey to Dorne, but Parker confirms Season 2 will be an adaptation of the second novella, “The Sworn Sword,” which takes place a year and a half or so after the events of “The Hedge Knight” and sees the pair in a part of the Reach.
“I love ‘The Sworn Sword’ because I think it’s very funny, and I think the sort of ‘will they / won’t they’ between Dunk and Lady Rohanne is just good territory for us,” he says. (Parker said they considered setting Season 2 in Dorne but that it would have taken too much time to flesh out the story even with Martin’s notes.)
In a conversation edited for clarity and length, Parker discussed his collaboration with Martin, every aspect of the show being a reflection of Dunk, and “A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms.”
Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), left, and Dunk (Peter Claffey) while a maester (Paul Murphy) looks over the injured hedge knight.
(Steffan Hill / HBO)
The show is called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” but in the finale, Egg points out to Dunk that there are actually nine kingdoms in Westeros. Can you explain that moment and actually showing the alternate title card?
The situation is so overwrought in this episode. With Baelor’s death and with everything that Egg has gone through, which we see him struggling with. Where Dunk’s head is at, going off alone again. The fact that they both get together is wonderful and uplifting, but we sort of had to reassure the audience — that even though Egg is now officially a prince and Dunk knows that, and this tragedy has come to pass between the two of them, the core of that relationship, what we learned to love about their relationship before all of this happened, actually still remains. So that was the importance of having a type of conversation like that. It didn’t necessarily have to be the conversation about the kingdoms, but just Egg, in his way, making sure that Dunk never feels like he knows anything. And it is a wink to the audience and to the fans [who have raised questions about the number], but we’re not changing the name of the show.
You mention Egg’s struggles and we do see just how much anger he has toward his brother Aerion in this episode. What were your thoughts on depicting that onscreen and what it says about Egg?
I talked to George a little bit about Egg and his motivations early on, and George said kids feel disappointment more acutely and that that is a huge part of it. It’s not to be discounted. I don’t want to go out there and say it’s because of Targaryen trauma and everything he’s been through. He’s a boy. Things were happening that were very nice for him that he was very happy about. Then it was all taken away and he blames people. He feels like he’s caused all these problems [for others], and when that doesn’t have a place to land, that’s what turns into anger. It just sort of brews up inside of you.
He sees Aerion as the true cause of all this. At that young age, he doesn’t know how to undirect that. He has some sort of a father there in Maekar. But the fact that he ends up with Dunk, that’s the whole story of Episode 6. Is Dunk, after all this, going to decide to save this kid who is just going to be thrown to the wolves otherwise? Who’s not going to get what he needs to direct his frustration and his disappointments to good energy targets? Kids who have that end up, generally, in better situations than kids who don’t.
It’s very important for me to show the importance of having a mentor in your life. We’re obviously very thematically about fathers and sons, knights and squires, and, to a certain extent brothers. But it is, at the core of it, what it is to have a teacher. Dunk had that in Ser Arlan. Dunk certainly has no obligation to do anything for this family at this point and he does it … because it was done for him. So he’s paying it forward, being a benefit to the person next to him.
Dunk (Peter Claffey) is ready for his next journey.
(Steffan Hill / HBO)
That’s one thing that sets Dunk apart. He’s one of the few people we see in this world who believes in doing good and that that’s what he’s supposed to be doing.
There’s an addition to that, which is that he wants so badly to do good and do right by his mentor who taught him what a knight was supposed to be. But there is this feeling that the world isn’t going to let you do that. We see somebody like Ned Stark, who’s very honorable, [but] probably suffered ultimately from his naivety — his belief in others. Dunk, I think, has one extra level. Or maybe I’m just projecting that onto him because sometimes I think about how to protect myself in this world where not everybody always has the best intentions. You so badly want to do good, but then there’s also the reality of that, and a big part of Dunk’s early journey in this world is learning those lessons.
Maybe that’s just because my head is also stuck in Book Two, where I think that is brought even more to the forefront. But he’s never going to change. He’s always going to be hopeful.
You did a Reddit AMA recently and you responded to someone who had asked about the show’s production budget that everything in this show was a reflection of the lead character. Can you explain what you meant by that?
It’s very chilling at the beginning to realize that you have one [point of view] character, but then when you realize how many facets go into making up that one person — from costumes, cinematography, music, everything — you realize you actually are telling a lot of different stories, just about one person and how they relate to the world. You have to make sure that that is one hell of an immersive experience, because it’s not like you could just have an audience member tune out if they don’t like the Dunk story this week. We had to make you feel in every single episode that you are in that situation, that you can somehow relate to Dunk and what he’s going through. This is because it’s about to get even tougher for him. Hopefully the people who come to us for the light, fun, enjoyable take on Westeros will stick with us through some of the harder, trickier, grimmer moments. Because this is George R.R. Martin’s world, and it gets dangerous.
But it was actually a very nice, natural way for us to differentiate ourselves [from the other shows]. We’re not a prequel. These are novellas that have existed for 30 years. It’s more organic. Rather than being so grand and epic in scale, it’s still small and simple and hopeful. [Dunk’s] still basically just a kid. It’s two kids setting out to have a little bit of fun. There’s got to be some some whimsy about it. That very easily allowed us to find our own voice.
Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) has a lot of anger for his older brother.
(Steffan Hill / HBO)
How is it like to work with George R.R. Martin?
He has been wonderfully collaborative. It’s been the most fulfilling creative partnership of my whole life. A lot of people can start out in this industry reading your stuff and telling you what they think is wrong without asking you why you did something the way that you did it. Giving you the benefit of the doubt and the conversation jumping off from there, George is very good at that. Whenever he would call me about a new script, we’d talk out what’s in my head in the version of events that led me down this path. And then he talks about why he either did it another way or has issues with it. It becomes a very natural conversation. It’s an extension of a writer’s room with a living legend, one of the greatest living writers in the world today. He just likes talking about this stuff with you, and I like talking about it with him.
What were your earliest conversations with him about “Dunk and Egg” like? Did you already have an idea of how you wanted to do the show before you talked to him?
I swung pretty wildly at the beginning from the point where HBO sent it to me — where I thought “Game of Thrones” shows are 10 episodes, an hourlong each, how could we possibly do that with these three novellas — to finding out what HBO’s intentions were for it, finding out what George’s intentions were for it. Having conversations with George about what he likes, why Dunk is his sole POV character. Why, for example, he never wrote any Egg chapters. He has so many specific thoughts on all of this that that really helped inform what my approach was going to be.
I think it was very important for me to go into that first meeting, when I flew to Santa Fe to meet him, with a mile-high preparation. I knew everything possibly in and around this world and these characters, and I had a lot of pitches, if it came to that. But I didn’t go in there and lead with that. I just went and I sat down and we had conversations. I asked a lot of questions and I listened a lot. And then I went back and I re-formed and I went off and wrote a pilot. Then we were off to the races.
Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), left, was a true friend to Dunk (Peter Claffey).
(Steffan Hill / HBO)
You worked on “House of the Dragon,” which is such a different show, even though it’s in the same world. How did your time there affect how you wanted to approach this show?
That room was one of my favorite rooms that I’ve ever been in. Ryan Condal is a true writer’s writer. He has so much love for this world. It’s funny because everybody thinks comedy rooms are just so funny all the time, everybody’s cracking jokes, and drama rooms are so serious because of the material. It’s actually often the exact opposite. In drama, because comedy is not currency, everybody’s just cracking jokes all the time. And Ryan has such a sharp wit; we share a very similar sense of humor. I think it was him who put me forward for this to HBO when they were looking for a writer for “Dunk and Egg,” and I’m very grateful.
Our room for “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was very different. We hired all drama writers, just people that have different sensibilities. I felt like I was living my very best days. We had 11 days in that writer’s room because the writers’ strike shut us down so quickly, but we knew that that was coming up. So we got going as fast as we possibly could and we broke as much as we could. Then I assigned scripts the very last day. But those 11 days in that room, I think we broke, ultimately, 20 seasons of a show by accident.
We were having so much fun, we were creating it all for the first season. We did it all for six episodes. As soon as we got back from the strike, a few of my writers were just like, “How do you expect us to write 35-minute episodes with these beats to be broken?” We pulled it a lot, lot back from what that was, but writers rooms are the happiest place on Earth, or least lonely place on Earth. It’s not always happy — it’s hard sometimes.
The epic series, which takes its cue from George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, is comprised of six half-hour episodes.
Here’s a look at when you can watch the final episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms after a recent schedule change due to the Super Bowl.
When does A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 6 come out?
In the UK, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode six – titled The Morrow – will be airing on Monday, February 23 at 3am GMT on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
The episode will then be available on NOW for those to watch on demand if they didn’t stay up in the early hours to watch the season one finale.
Sky Atlantic will then be repeating the episode at 9pm for those who didn’t stay up to watch the Transatlantic simulcast.
Meanwhile, in the USA, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode six will be on HBO on Sunday, February 22 at 10pm and will be available to watch on HBO Max.
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What will happen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode six?
HBO previously dropped a sneak peek at the forthcoming season one finale, which shows Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall (played by Peter Claffey) talking to Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) in the aftermath of the Trial of Seven.
Dunk feels deeply guilty for the death of Baelor ‘Breakspear’ Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) as the Targaryens conduct his funeral.
Valarr Targaryen (Oscar Morgan) says to a despondent Dunk: “He had it in him to be great king. Why would the god take him and leave you?”
Dunk responds: “I’ve wondered the same.”
The scene cuts to Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell) speaking to Dunk about how much his son Aegon ‘Egg’ Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell) wishes only to squire for him and no other knight.
However, it looks like Dunk doesn’t want any more to do with Egg after the fallout from the Trial of Seven and responds to Maekar: “I think I’m done with princes.”
The preview ends on an ambiguous note as Egg tells Dunk: “Maybe you’re not the knight I thought you were.”
Although the show might be coming to an end, season two is already in the works after HBO confirmed that it had renewed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for another outing.
The recommission was announced back in November 2025, even before the first episode had hit screens.
Along with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, House of the Dragon was renewed for season four ahead of its highly-anticipated third season premiere this June.
HBO executive Francesca Orsi said at the time: “We are thrilled to be able to deliver new seasons of these two series for the next three years, for the legion of fans of the Game of Thrones universe.
“Together, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reveal just how expansive and richly imagined George R. R. Martin’s universe continues to be.
“In January, I think audiences will be delighted by the inspiring underdog tale of Dunk and Egg that George and Ira Parker have so beautifully captured.
“And this Summer, House of the Dragon is set to ignite once again with some of its most epic battles yet.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ series finale will air on HBO Max and HBO in the USA tonight at 10PM ET and on NOW and Sky Atlantic tomorrow at 3am GMT
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Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fans were left stunned by an unexpected death in episode five.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode five trailer
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms continues to surprise fans with the Game of Thrones’ prequel ending on a major cliffhanger this week.
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Returning for episode five, entitled In the Name of the Mother, on Sky Atlantic and NOW, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms this week revolved around the dreaded Trial of Seven.
Depicted as a “man of the people”, Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen (played by Bertie Carvel) surprisingly chose to join Dunk’s (Peter Claffey) in a bid to protect his brother and nephews on the other side.
It was also his way of doing what was right and honorable and initially after the Trial of Seven, it appears that Baelor comes out unscathed.
But unfortunately for him and fans, Baelor didn’t have the happy ending that fans were hoping for.
The two Ser Humfreys Beesbury (Danny Collins) and Hardyng (Ross Anderson) were killed and the prince emerged among the victors after Dunk forced Aerion (Finn Bennett) to yield.
However, when Baelor does take off his helmet, it is revealed that the back of his head had been caved in by Maekar’s (Sam Spruell) mace.
Fans were hopeful that he would still survive but Baelor ultimately dies from his gruesome injuries, leaving his loved ones heartbroken.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, a distraught user wrote: “All of us at Baelor’s funeral,” followed by a crying emoji.
A second exclaimed: “Baelor take me with you,” as another stated: “Baelor Targaryen you will be missed by all.”
Someone else shared: “What I love the most about how A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms portrays Baelor is that he is not just this perfect man who’s inherently good, but rather his goodness and honor is A CHOICE he makes every time.
“One that he could choose differently, and it ultimately makes what he does choose have meaning.”
While a fellow viewer added: “Just want to give a huge round of applause to Bertie Carvel for his performance as Baelor Targaryen.
“He really brought to life one of the best Asoiaf characters.”
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
Ahead of episode 5 of the Game of Thrones spin-off, showrunner Ira Parker has admitted they decided to cut one scene that fans have argued is key to understanding the heart of the story.
It comes after one fan pointed out that the HBO and Sky Atlantic show hadn’t included a notable exchange between Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Steely Pate (Youssef Kerkour) in the build-up to the fateful Trial by Seven from George RR Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas.
In the books, Dunk passes the Smallfolk on the way to the joust when he asks Pete “Why? Who am I to them?” before Pete replies: “A knight who remembers his vows.”
Posting in a Reddit AMA, the fan noted that many readers view this to be “the soul and the moral of the entire novella”, with showrunner Parker admitting he had some regret over cutting the scene from the original script.
“Honestly it was a mistake on my part,” he responded. “Not my first, not my last on this show. That scene was in the script at one point, then fell out.
“I agree that ‘a knight who remembers his vows’ is the soul of this story, but I think that is still very much at the core of the show, even if I stupidly left out this scene… it may not be said explicitly, but Dunk’s actions remain the same.”
Fans respected Parker’s refreshingly candid answer, with one observing: “It’s been so long since the last time i saw showrunner being able to admit they made a mistake.”
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The Trial by Seven requires Dunk to find six other knights to battle the cruel Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) after the hedge knight attacked the royal in order to save young actress Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) from his wrath.
HBO’s synopsis for episode 5 suggests we will get some insight into Dunk’s origins, as it reads: “Before Ser Duncan the Tall can learn the fate of his future, he must relive his past.”
The accompanying teaser also shows flashbacks to Dunk’s childhood and his friendship with a young girl, who tells him not to lose his nerve in following the path that lies ahead of them.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 airs on Monday, February 16 on Sky Atlantic and streaming platform NOW at 3am GMT.
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