Trump congratulates Capitals on their Stanley Cup win

President Trump congratulated the Washington Capitals on Friday morning for their Stanley Cup win the night before and said the team is welcome at the White House if they want to visit after their championship.

The president hailed the win by the District’s hockey team as a sign that “D.C. is popping, in many ways.”

“Congratulations to the Washington Capitals on their GREAT play and winning the Stanley Cup Championship,” Trump tweeted. “Alex Ovechkin, the team captain, was spectacular – a true Superstar! D.C. is popping, in many ways. What a time!”

Congratulations to the Washington Capitals on their GREAT play and winning the Stanley Cup Championship. Alex Ovechkin, the team captain, was spectacular – a true Superstar! D.C. is popping, in many ways. What a time!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2018

{mosads}The team vanquished the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, marking the first time the franchise will bring home one of the most sought-after trophies in sports in its nearly 45-year history.

With their win, however, the Capitals will join several championship-winning sports teams that will have to decide whether to visit the White House, a tradition that many teams have foregone — or have had canceled — under Trump.

Trump on Friday told reporters the team would be welcome at the White House if they want to come.

But Capitals player Devante Smith-Pelly told a Canadian newspaper in an interview before the Stanley Cup win that he planned to skip the White House visit if his team came out victorious, citing his opposition to Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric.

“The things that he spews are straight-up racist and sexist,” Smith-Pelly told the National Post.

Updated at 8:43 a.m.