Just five days before the 2026 Winter Olympics, the world is watching both sports and politics unfold. As fans turn their eyes to athletes ready to compete on ice and snow, Italians have protested the reported presence of U.S. ICE agents in the host cities. But amidst the tension, the United States took a moment to celebrate its champions at home.

On February 1, the @WhiteHouse shared a post on X showing a group of Florida Panthers players at the White House, including Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones, alongside Bill Zito, the general manager of the Florida Panthers, and another team official as honored guests.

The visit came after the Panthers’ dominant season and their victory in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on June 17, 2025, which they secured with a 5‑1 win in Game 6 to clinch the series and repeat as champions. “From Stanley Cup champs to the world stage. Next stop: 2026 Winter Olympics. Go Team USA,” read the caption.

This appearance continues a long-standing tradition of honoring championship athletes at the White House. Just a few days back on January 16, 2026, the Panthers also brought the Stanley Cup to Washington, and even in 2025, they were invited following their 2024 Stanley Cup championship.

This year, the timing of the visit has added significance because several Panthers at the White House are now preparing to represent their countries at the Winter Olympics.

Matthew Tkachuk is expected to play for Team USA in the men’s hockey tournament, while Sam Reinhart is expected to suit up for Team Canada, having participated in Canada’s Olympic orientation camp.

These players will be playing at the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi games, adding another layer of excitement to the men’s hockey event. But all of this comes at a time when ICE is under more scrutiny than ever both domestically and now internationally.

ICE presence sparks backlash in Italy ahead of 2026 Winter Olympics

There has been public backlash in Italy over reports that ICE agents will be involved in security for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Italian demonstrators, including unions, political groups, and citizens, have protested in central Milan against the planned deployment of U.S. ICE personnel ahead of the Games.

Many of the signs and chants at the protests linked ICE to recent controversies in the U.S., arguing the agency’s reputation makes its presence inappropriate at an international sporting event.

Even the mayor of Milan, Guiseppe Sala, has publicly stated that ICE agents are “not welcome” in the city.

Officials from the U.S. and Italian sides have clarified that “the ICE agents expected to be at the Olympics are part of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit, which focuses on transnational crime investigations (not immigration enforcement).”

They are expected to provide support with the Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of State, on the American delegation. Even the Italian government has stressed that it remains the full responsibility of the host country to ensure the overall security of the Olympics, and foreign agency personnel may work in very limited capacities, often within diplomatic facilities rather than in public spaces.

But there are numerous Italians and local leaders who do not want ICE at the Games due to more than just operational considerations. Others worry that despite its limited role, just the very presence of a U.S. immigration agency with its controversial history of enforcement measures such as raids and deportations back home sends a bad signal at an international celebration of unity and peace.

As the debates continue in Milan and Cortina, the focus will be on the Games, the athletes, and the moments that make the Olympics memorable.