Brady Tkachuk annoyed White House posted AI-doctored video of him belittling Canadians: 'It's clearly fake'
The official White House TikTok account posted a celebratory video on Sunday after U.S. men's hockey defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win its first Olympic gold medal since 1980.
As of Thursday afternoon, the video has 11.1 million views and more than 14,000 comments on the social media platform. It's also AI-doctored, and Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is annoyed by the way it portrays him belittling Canadians.
The video begins with a clip from a news conference at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. Brady and his brother Matthew, a standout Florida Panthers left winger, are seated next to each other.
"Free Bird," U.S. hockey's goal song throughout the Milan Cortina Olympics, plays in the background of the video, as Brady Tkachuk is made to say, "They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup-eating f***s a lesson."
Underneath the video's caption lies a disclaimer: "Contains AI-generated media."
"Well, it's clearly fake, because it's not my voice and not my lips moving," Tkachuk said Thursday.
"I'm not in control of any of those accounts. I know that those words would never come out of my mouth. So, I can't do anything about it."
Hear from Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson, and Travis Green ahead of tonight's game against the Detroit Red Wings πΊ pic.twitter.com/VP6suK9teR
β Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 26, 2026
When asked if he liked the video, Tkachuk pointed back to how it misrepresented him.
"Did I like it? It's not my voice. It's not what I was saying," he said. "I would never say that. That's not who I am, so I guess I don't like that video because that just would never come out of my mouth. Never a thought."
Tkachuk then shook his head at a question about if winning gold for the U.S. and the aftermath of the Olympics potentially affects his desire to play in Ottawa.
"That's not even something that has crossed my mind," he said. "I love playing for this team. I love the guys in this room, and I really believe in what we're all about."
Tkachuk was one of several U.S. men's hockey players who made the trip to D.C. in the wake of their dramatic win over Canada in this year's Games.
President Donald Trump invited the team to the White House and Tuesday's State of the Union, notably in a controversial moment during a viral postgame phone call.
Trump joked about having to also invite the women's team or else "I probably would be impeached."
Several players on the U.S. men's hockey team laughed after Trump's delivery, a reaction that's drawn criticism from many in the days since.
U.S. goalie Jeremy Swayman, who plays for the Boston Bruins, admitted Wednesday that he and his teammates "should've reacted differently."
In a Wednesday appearance on ESPN's "SportsCenter," U.S. women's hockey icon Hilary Knight described Trump's comment as a "distasteful joke" but characterized the players' response as a "quick lapse" that's overshadowing what she believes is a "genuine level" of support and respect the men's team has for the American women, who also beat Canada in overtime to win gold.
"They know that we supported them throughout the whole tournament," Tkachuk said Thursday. "When Megan Keller scored the OT winner, I think there was 15 of us in one of the lounges back at the [Olympic] Village, and we were all standing up, going nuts, clapping.
"They just achieved their dream, and that gave us so much motivation to go win the gold medal ourselves."
Another moment from the Trump call has been scrutinized this week, as some online have accused Tkachuk of being the person who shouted, "Close the northern border!"
"I've been seeing stuff that people think it's me," he said, "but if you watch the video, that's not my voice and something that I never say. I don't really know how that took a storm on its own when I play here and give everything I have here."
He added: "It's crazy when things go on social media, how fast they go. Of course, I would never say anything like that."
At the moment, Tkachuk is in the awkward position of starring for the NHL's Senators in Canada and serving as a key member of USA Hockey.