Danica Patrick wasted no time piling on. After Team USA stunned Canada with a 2-1 overtime win in the men's hockey gold-medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Patrick jumped into the celebration with a jab that immediately set social media on fire.
Videos by FanBuzz
Photo by Jure Makovec,/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
"If Canada had been smart and become the 51st state, they'd be gold medalists right now," Patrick wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of Team Canada wearing silver medals. "Too soon?"
Message received. Loudly.
The former NASCAR star's post echoed rhetoric previously floated by Donald Trump, whom Patrick publicly supported during the 2024 campaign. Trump has joked in the past about Canada joining the U.S., including comments made after former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau stepped down.
Context matters here. Team USA's win ended a 46-year Olympic gold drought in men's hockey, sealed by an overtime winner from Jack Hughes. Emotions were high. So were the receipts.
Patrick's post landed as the Americans continued a whirlwind celebration that included Miami nightlife, a White House visit, and a State of the Union appearance. The women's team declined the invite due to scheduling conflicts, which only added more fuel to an already loud week.
Canada took silver. Patrick took a victory lap.
And judging by the reaction, this one will be remembered well beyond Milan.
