NHL Star Brady Tkachuk Denounces White House AI Video Mocking Canadians
U.S. ice hockey gold medalist Brady Tkachuk has publicly condemned an artificial intelligence-generated video posted by the White House this week that falsely depicted him making derogatory remarks about Canadians. The video, shared on the White House's TikTok account, amassed over 11 million views and sparked a wave of negative comments targeting Canada.
Fake Video Sparks Outrage
In the controversial clip, Tkachuk, who serves as captain of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, appears to say, "They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup-eating fucks a lesson." However, the real Tkachuk firmly rejected the video's authenticity during a press conference on Thursday ahead of a game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Canadian Tire Centre.
"It's clearly fake, because it's not my voice, and not my lips moving," Tkachuk told 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."
When asked if he "liked" the video, 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 did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Tkachuk's disapproval of the video.
Broader Context of Team Controversies
This incident adds to a series of controversies surrounding the U.S. men's hockey team, which won gold at the Winter Olympics. The team has faced criticism from some fans after celebrating their victory with a beer-chugging session involving FBI Director Kash Patel in the locker room. Additionally, the team received a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump, during which they laughed at a degrading joke he made about the women's hockey team, who also secured a gold medal.
Tkachuk addressed these issues on Thursday, stating that the men's team "supported" the women's team. When questioned about why he laughed at Trump's joke, which involved inviting the women's team, Tkachuk admitted he didn't "really have an answer" and described the post-victory period as a "whirlwind" moment.
"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," Tkachuk explained. "It's just the fact that you're talking to him. It's just you can't really believe where your life's at, that you're talking to the president of the United States after you just won a gold medal."
Denial of Further Allegations
Online speculation had suggested that Tkachuk was heard shouting "close the northern border" during the team's celebration with Patel. However, he denied this allegation, telling reporters, "If you watch the video, that's not my voice and something that I'd never say."
Following their Olympic triumph, Tkachuk was among the 20 U.S. men's players who visited the White House and dined on 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 U.S. government's highest civilian honor.
This situation highlights growing concerns about the misuse of AI technology to create deceptive content, particularly involving public figures and sensitive international relations. Tkachuk's swift denouncement underscores the importance of verifying digital media in an era where misinformation can spread rapidly through official channels.
