BOSTON — Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman helped Team USA win gold in men's hockey at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. They visited the White House. They attended the State of the Union. And now a certain corner of Bruins Twitter wants them publicly executed for it.

The meltdowns started almost immediately after photos surfaced of McAvoy and Swayman at the White House with President Trump — and they haven't stopped since.

because jeremy swayman decided he needed to be at the white house instead of at his actual job pic.twitter.com/EEdOrs1djX— renee 🍉🏒 (@brandonscarlo) February 24, 2026

That tweet alone has racked up over 3,000 likes and 76,000 views. But the real entertainment is in the replies and quote tweets, where fans are acting like two hockey players shook hands with the devil himself.

'He can go f*ck himself horizontally'

One self-described "lifelong Bruins fan and diehard fan of Charlie McAvoy" had this measured take:

As a lifelong @NHLBruins fan and diehard fan of Charlie McAvoy, all I have to say is he can officially go fuck himself horizontally. Swayman, too. Completely embarrassed to have two core players on the team I support bending the knee to Trump

— healthyscratchx (@healthyscratchx) February 25, 2026

The same user later added they were "extremely disappointed" the players were "merely being used as props because they won gold." Which is... what a White House visit has always been? Every championship team since the invention of the photo op has done this.

Charlie McAvoy you have disappointed me more in the last 48 hours than any man has in YEARS @CMcAvoy44 hope a handshake from an orange dictator pedophile is worth it!

— kmurph423 (@kmurph423) February 24, 2026

on a serious note: fuck the bruins. fuck jeremy swayman. fuck charlie mcavoy. FUCK TRUMP. FUCK THIS ADMINISTRATION. FUCK ICE. FUCK FASCISTS.

— ace3AMedition (@ace3AMedition) February 24, 2026

Demands for public apologies

Some fans aren't just disappointed — they want formal statements of contrition from professional hockey players who had the audacity to accept a White House invitation.

Im disappointed in all but the 5 players who did not attend. Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman need some sense smacked into them. Unless they state a public apology I will not be supporting McAvoy or Swayman. FDT.

— abigailrhine_ (@abigailrhine_) February 24, 2026

jeremy swayman and charlie mcavoy you're dead to me so incredibly disappointed esp in sway

— soph_ackert (@soph_ackert) February 25, 2026

One user even accused McAvoy of faking his support for LGBTQ causes — because apparently visiting the White House after winning Olympic gold retroactively erases everything else you've ever done:

Honestly disgusted in macavoy and swayman. I see that pride tape was just for show

— 00wisppy00 (@00wisppy00) February 24, 2026

'Now I'm a bigger fan of Boston Fleet'

Several fans announced they're switching allegiances to the PWHL's Boston Fleet — the women's hockey team — apparently because the women's team declined to visit the White House.

@NHLBruins So disappointed in Swayman and Mcavoy. Now I'm a bigger fan of Boston Fleet. Women with morals.

— coneill1216 (@coneill1216) February 24, 2026

@NHLBruins Lost respect for him partying with Patel and calling Trump daddy over the phone. And mocking the women. Swayman too. Not watching anymore mens hockey. Fuck the NHL. PWHL on top go Fleet

— casey_kenz21 (@casey_kenz21) February 23, 2026

The Tim Thomas problem

Here's where it gets awkward. In 2012, Bruins goalie Tim Thomas skipped the team's White House visit with President Obama, citing personal political beliefs. The hockey world — and many of the same types of fans now raging at McAvoy and Swayman — absolutely torched Thomas for it. He was called selfish, disrespectful, and worse.

So to recap: skipping a Democrat president's White House? Disgraceful. Attending a Republican president's White House? Also disgraceful. The only acceptable move, apparently, is to exist in a political superposition where you never displease anyone.

It's too bad all these Boston Bruins fans pissing on Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy only started watching NHL hockey because of "Heated Rivalry" so weren't around to defend Tim Thomas expressing his personal freedom and skipping the Obama White House visit…

— loosenyourhold (@loosenyourhold) February 25, 2026

Meanwhile, the joke of the day

Leave it to hockey Twitter to actually produce something funny amid all the hysteria:

swayman got detained at the white house because ICE thinks Alaska is another country

— 2snailse88 (@2snailse88) February 24, 2026

That one got 115 likes. Because it's actually funny — unlike the people demanding hockey players issue formal apologies for meeting the president after winning Olympic gold.

What actually happened

McAvoy and Swayman — along with the rest of Team USA's gold medal-winning men's hockey roster — visited the White House on Monday and attended the State of the Union address. They won gold by beating Canada in overtime, which apparently counts for nothing now because they posed for photos in the wrong building.

The Bruins may play without them Thursday as a result of the trip, which has only added fuel to the fire. But the real story isn't about hockey logistics — it's about a segment of fans who genuinely believe that two athletes visiting the president of the United States is a moral emergency requiring public penance.

Ayanna Pressley also boycotted the State of the Union, saying she refused to listen to Trump "spew lies and hate." McAvoy and Swayman, meanwhile, chose to attend — and Twitter thinks that makes them war criminals.

At the end of the day, two guys won an Olympic gold medal for their country and went to the White House. That used to be the most American thing you could do. Now it's apparently grounds for excommunication from the fanbase.