Lead
Brady Tkachuk, the 26-year-old captain of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, said Thursday in Ottawa that a TikTok video shared by the White House that appeared to show him insulting Canadians after the U.S. won Olympic gold was fabricated. The clip included AI‑generated audio that purported to have him call Canadians a “maple syrup eating (expletive),” with the expletive bleeped. Tkachuk said the voice and lip movements are not his and that he would never make such remarks. The White House did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Key Takeaways
- Brady Tkachuk, 26, is an American who plays and captains the Ottawa Senators and returned from Italy this week after winning Olympic gold with Team USA.
- The disputed TikTok shared by the White House carried a label stating it “contains AI-generated media” and featured fabricated audio of a slur aimed at Canadians.
- Tkachuk called the clip “clearly fake,” saying the voice is not his and that he does not control the accounts that posted the material.
- He also denied being the person heard saying “close the northern border” on a celebratory phone call with President Donald Trump after the U.S. men’s 2-1 overtime win over Canada.
- The U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams both beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in Milan-Cortina 2026, marking the first American sweep of both Olympic hockey tournaments.
- Several U.S. players visited the White House and attended President Trump’s State of the Union speech this week; logistics complicated the women’s team visit because of travel disruptions.
- There has been no formal White House explanation for how the TikTok circulated or who posted the edited audio.
Background
The controversy sits at the intersection of high‑profile sports celebrations and increasingly prominent questions about AI‑manipulated media. Team USA’s men defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime on Sunday to win Olympic gold, and the women’s team later beat Canada by the same score, producing a rare national sweep. The teams’ victories prompted celebratory moments—phone calls, public appearances and a White House invitation—that immediately attracted political attention.
Tkachuk, an Arizona native who has spent his professional career with Ottawa, was among the U.S. players who returned to North America and resumed NHL duties this week. Some players traveled to Washington and were present at the State of the Union address, a visit that drew cheers from certain attendees and scrutiny from others given the polarized political climate.
Main Event
The incident began when a TikTok video that edited Tkachuk’s likeness and voice circulated on social media and was reshared by an account affiliated with the White House. The clip included audio that appeared to have Tkachuk disparaging Canadians; the specific phrase in the edited track was labeled in reports as “maple syrup eating (expletive),” with the explicit word bleeped. The posted video also carried a notice saying it contained AI‑generated media.
Speaking in Ottawa on Thursday, Tkachuk rejected the depiction and said it was “clearly fake because it’s not my voice and not my lips moving.” He added that he does not control the accounts that posted the material and emphasized that the putative words “would never come out of my mouth.”
Tkachuk also addressed another disputed audio moment from a celebratory speakerphone conversation with President Trump after the men’s gold‑medal victory. In that exchange, someone can be heard saying “close the northern border.” Tkachuk said he was not the voice and reiterated that the claim circulating online was mistaken.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the origin of the clip or why it was reshared. Journalistic requests for clarification remained outstanding at the time of reporting.
Analysis & Implications
The episode highlights how quickly AI‑altered audio and video can blur public understanding of who said what, especially when content is amplified by official or semi‑official channels. Even when a post is labeled as AI‑generated, viewers often treat reshared material as authoritative if it appears on an institutional account, increasing reputational harm to the person depicted.
For athletes who serve as public figures across borders, such manipulations can inflame national tensions and damage relationships with host cities, teams and fans. Tkachuk plays and lives in Ottawa; an apparent anti‑Canadian slur attributed to him risked straining connections with local supporters and the NHL club he leads. Rapid clarification matters for both the individual and the franchise.
Institutional actors—from the White House to social platforms—face pressure to improve vetting and labeling practices for AI content. The presence of a label stating “AI‑generated media” did not prevent the clip from prompting serious pushback, suggesting that labels alone may be insufficient if amplification features are not paired with verification steps.
Comparison & Data
| Event | Score | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Olympic final (USA vs Canada) | 2-1 OT | Gold for Team USA |
| Women’s Olympic final (USA vs Canada) | 2-1 OT | Gold for Team USA; first sweep of both tournaments |
These back‑to‑back 2-1 overtime results are historically notable: the U.S. captured both men’s and women’s Olympic hockey titles at Milan‑Cortina 2026, a sweep American teams had not achieved before. The tight scores underscore how small moments—remarks on a call, a social post—can acquire outsized attention after high‑stakes wins.
Reactions & Quotes
Team members and observers responded quickly as the edited clip spread. Tkachuk publicly denied authorship and criticized the fabrication, while other players and officials emphasized team unity and the significance of the victories.
“It’s clearly fake because it’s not my voice and not my lips moving. I’m not in control of any of those accounts. … I know that those words would never come out of my mouth.”
Brady Tkachuk
Tkachuk’s brother and fellow U.S. Olympian, Matthew Tkachuk, framed the tournament as one of mutual support between squads.
“Our two teams were so close. We watched other events together… we’re so proud that we had a clean sweep of gold medals.”
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers forward
The phone call with the president also produced an on‑record moment that drew attention to optics and timing.
“We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.”
President Donald Trump
Unconfirmed
- Which specific account within or affiliated with the White House first reshared the TikTok has not been independently verified at time of reporting.
- The precise origin and creator of the edited audio clip remain unconfirmed beyond platform labeling that the clip “contains AI-generated media.”
- Attribution of the shouted line “close the northern border” to any individual on the call has not been conclusively established.
Bottom Line
The incident underscores the reputational risks public figures face as AI‑manipulated media circulates quickly and can be amplified by institutional channels. Even a post labeled as synthetic can create real‑world consequences if audiences assume endorsement by the resharing account.
Going forward, clearer verification from account holders and faster platform interventions will be necessary to prevent similar episodes. For Tkachuk and teammates, rapid clarification helped limit immediate fallout, but the episode is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of how official communications handle synthetic media during high‑profile events.