MILAN (AP) — The United States is looking to do something no nation has ever done: Clean sweep the ice hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics.
Standing in the way? Canada again.
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United State's Declan Farmer, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's first goal during a semifinal hockey match between United States and Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Canada players celebrate after winning a semifinal hockey match between against China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United States players celebrate after winning a semifinal hockey match against Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Canada players celebrate after winning a semifinal hockey match between against China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United State's Josh Pauls celebrates after scoring a goal during a semifinal hockey match between United States and Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Just like in the men’s and women’s tournaments at the Olympics, Sunday’s gold medal match in Para ice hockey will be between the U.S. and Canada.
“We got to do our part, right? So they got the two done, so now it’s our job and we just got to bring it home for them,” U.S. forward Kevin McKee told The Associated Press.
Naturally, Canada wants bragging rights in the rivalry and to break American Para hearts.
“It is a source of pride for us just to win, like we believe Canada is THE hockey country and we want to prove that,” Canada forward Adam Dixon said.
Both teams dominated the group stage at the Paralympics, each winning all three of their matches. The U.S. then beat the Czech Republic 6-1 in Friday’s semifinals, when Canada struggled at times before overcoming China 4-2.
Canada Para ice hockey captain Tyler McGregor said the two Olympic losses were not playing on his teammates’ minds.
“No. You know what, we’re going to write our own story,” he said. “We watched both our men’s and women’s team compete here a few weeks ago and they played phenomenal.
“Those were two of the best hockey games I’ve ever seen, but this is our story at the Paralympics and we have a chance to bring home a gold medal for Canada. And what an honor that would be.”
Rather than avenge the Olympic defeats, Canada is driven more to avenge losses to the U.S. in the past two gold-medal matches at the Paralympics. It has also lost to the U.S. in four of the past five world championship finals.
“That kind of fuels us,” forward Liam Hickey said. "We’ve learned from those. They’re a great team and we’ve had a great rivalry for as long as this sport’s been around. So for us it’s another kind of chance for redemption and we’re excited for it.”
If the U.S. achieves the treble, it would be the second straight year it has swept the major tournaments, having won the men’s and women’s world championships and world Para ice hockey championship in 2025.
There is no women’s division at the Paralympics as its classified as an open-gender sport.
U.S. defender Jack Wallace said the group has been talking about the sweep since watching the women’s Olympic final together during a training camp. They were also messaging each other during the men’s final.
Coach David Hoff would prefer his players bury all thoughts of a sweep before Sunday’s final.
“There’s a lot of talk about it,” Hoff admitted. “I think for us it’s really just putting the blinders on and really focusing on what we have to do. Don’t let that outside stuff cloud your preparation or bother you. Sometimes that’s hard to do but I think our guys have really done a good job.”
While the Olympics saw the U.S. men’s team win gold for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, it’s a different story at the Paralympics.
The U.S. has triumphed at five of the past six Paralympics and several players are targeting a fourth straight gold medal. Captain Josh Pauls is incredibly aiming for a fifth.
“You’ve got to enjoy the guys you’re playing with,” Pauls said when asked about the team’s secret to success. “We have such a brotherhood, we just enjoy playing the game, we enjoy competing, we enjoy getting better, but also helping the other guy across from us get better.
“And I mean, I am just so glad to play another team other than our guys, because man, our guys are really tough to play.”
AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
United State's Declan Farmer, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's first goal during a semifinal hockey match between United States and Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Canada players celebrate after winning a semifinal hockey match between against China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United States players celebrate after winning a semifinal hockey match against Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Canada players celebrate after winning a semifinal hockey match between against China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United State's Josh Pauls celebrates after scoring a goal during a semifinal hockey match between United States and Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
HELSINGBORG, Sweden (AP) — NATO allies and defense officials expressed bewilderment Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number of forces pulled out of Europe.
The apparent change of mind came after weeks of statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump's initial order set off a flurry of action among military commanders and left allies already doubtful about America's commitment to Europe's security to ponder what forces they might have to backfill on NATO's eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer rotating into Poland from Germany. The dispatch to Germany of U.S. personnel trained to fire long-range missiles was also halted.
But in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said he would now send "an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” citing his strong ties with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom Trump endorsed in elections last year.
“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters Friday at a meeting she was hosting of her NATO counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ministers from the Netherlands and Norway were sanguine about Trump’s latest move, as was Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, who said allies knew the U.S. troop “posture was being reconsidered, and now there is no change of posture. For now.”
U.S. defense officials also expressed confusion. “We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
But Rubio said Washington’s allies understand that changes in the U.S. troop presence in Europe will come as the Trump administration reevaluates its force needs. “I think there’s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe than there has historically been for a variety of reasons,” he said.
The latest surprise came despite a U.S. pledge to coordinate troop deployments, including one from NATO’s top military officer, U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, on Wednesday.
Trump's initial announcement that he would withdraw troops came as he fumed over remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in that war.
Trump told reporters that the U.S. would be cutting even more than 5,000 and also announced new tariffs on European cars. Germany is the continent’s biggest auto producer.
Rubio insisted that Trump’s decision “is not a punitive thing. It’s just something that’s ongoing.”
About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment on the continent unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests.
The withdrawal of 5,000 troops might drop numbers below that limit.
But Trump's latest post suggests that troop numbers in Europe would not change. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski welcomed the decision to send more forces to his country, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the move. On Thursday, before Trump took to Truth Social again, Rutte had underlined that it was important for Europe to take care of its own security. “We have a process in place. This is normal business,” he told reporters.
At NATO headquarters in Brussels, meanwhile, U.S. officials briefed the allies on the Pentagon's aims for its commitments to the NATO Force Model, which involves contingency planning for Europe’s defense in the event of serious security concerns. It was widely expected that a further reduction of U.S. forces would be coming.
Asked whether any cuts were announced, Rutte said: “I’m afraid it’s much more complicated than that.” He said the procedure “is highly classified” and declined to give details.
Rubio played down concerns about a shift in U.S. force levels in Europe, saying: "Every country has to constantly reevaluate what their needs are, what their commitments are around the world, and how to properly structure that.”
Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with journalists during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, front second left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, front left, speak with each other during a group photo at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte look at each other as they deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže speaks at the doorstep of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at Sea U in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives with his wife Jeanette at Malmo Airport, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Malmo-Sturup, Sweden, ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, second from left, shakes hands with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, as he is greeted by King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Maria Malmer Stenergard, right, before a dinner at Sofiero Castle in Helsingborg, Sweden, Thursday May 21 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
