President Barack Obama urged the National Hockey League and its players to "do right" by the fans and end the lockout that threatens to eliminate the entire season.
In an interview with WCCO-TV in Minneapolis on Thursday, Obama said the president shouldn't have to get involved in a sports lockout and urged the owners and players to settle the issue themselves.
"My message to owners and to players is, you guys make a lot of money and you make a lot of money on the backs of fans, so do right by your fans," Obama said.
He added, "I shouldn't have to be involved in a dispute between really wealthy players and even wealthier owners. They should be able to settle this themselves. And remember who it is that's putting all that money in their pockets."
The president's comments were in response to a question specifically asking whether he would intervene in the lockout and were part of a series of interviews he gave with local television stations.
In a separate interview with ABC News' Barbara Walters that is set to air Friday night, Obama indicated that prosecuting recreational marijuana users in states that have legalized the substance would not be a "top priority" of federal law enforcement officials.
"We've got bigger fish to fry," Obama said of marijuana users in Colorado and Washington. "It would not make sense for us to see a top priority as going after recreational users in states that have determined that it's legal."
Colorado and Washington voters approved the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana in the elections last month, but federal law continues to prohibit the production, possession and sale of the substance.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.