“I have no political power with the president”::Wayne Gretzky distances himself from politics amid Donald Trump’s 51st state remarks

In a rare public statement last month, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky firmly distanced himself from political debates surrounding President Donald Trump, after renewed speculation about their relationship surfaced during Trump’s second term. The 64-year-old Canadian icon addressed the topic during an interview on Toronto’s AM-640 radio with Ben Mulroney.While Wayne Gretzky never mentioned Donald Trump by name, he was responding to a broader question about how people may try to use his image or legacy to push political narratives.Amid recent chatter about Trump jokingly referring to Canada as the potential 51st U.S. state—and suggesting Gretzky be its governor—the Hall of Famer made it clear that he has no interest or influence in the political arena.“But, trust me, I have no political power with the prime minister or the president,” Gretzky said. “That’s between those two guys, and that’s why you hold elections… But trust me I have no pull or power with either the prime minister or the president.”The comment served as a quiet rebuttal to critics who questioned his silence on Donald Trump’s controversial comments and past policies, including trade and tariffs affecting Canada.When asked whether his record being broken by Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin had political weight, especially in today's charged climate, Wayne Gretzky dismissed the notion altogether. He insisted that during his career, politics was never part of the locker room conversation.“We watched basketball, we watched baseball… Hockey players, that’s never on the docket,” he explained. “The prime minister and the president don’t tell us how to play hockey, and we don’t tell them how to do politics, right?”The remarks underscore his consistent approach: stay in your lane and let leaders lead.Despite his neutrality in political matters, Gretzky’s life is deeply intertwined with the U.S. He highlighted that his family — including five children, seven grandchildren, and a centenarian mother-in-law — are all American.“You be as proud of the United States of America as I am to be a Canadian,” he tells them. “That’s what your grandfather would have wanted.” Gretzky’s comments offered a subtle but firm reminder that while he remains a beloved figure across North America, he has no interest in leveraging that status for political purposes.Also Read: “Pretend you don’t know me”: Wayne Gretzky caught in crossfire as Donald Trump friendship sparks Canadian backlash