Donald Trump welcomed the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Thursday, marking the second presidential visit for the back-to-back champions in as many years. The celebration featured custom gifts and praise from the president, though several prominent players chose to sit out the Rose Garden event.
The Dodgers presented Trump with a custom jersey and a replica championship ring during the ceremony. Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and manager Dave Roberts attended, among others. But the absence of star shortstop Mookie Betts and utility player Kike Hernández drew attention as both players cited personal reasons for staying away.
Trump offered expansive remarks that veered beyond baseball, touching on former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and recent Rose Garden renovations. He drew parallels between Ohtani and Babe Ruth, and offered commentary on pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who he said "beat a lot of teams" without noting that Kershaw has since retired following last year's championship season.
"Special winners, unbelievable," Trump said of the team. "I would not be surprised to see them back here again."
Trump also told Roberts he'd been preoccupied with other matters. "I've been a little busy with Iran and some other things," he explained when discussing his surprise at the Dodgers' dominance this season.
The visit carried a complicated undertone for many Los Angeles residents. Recent ICE raids and protest crackdowns ordered by the Trump administration had stirred controversy in the city, creating tension around the team's decision to attend.
Betts, who declined to participate in the Boston Red Sox's White House trip during Trump's first term but attended the Dodgers' ceremony last year, told reporters he preferred to spend the day with family. Hernández, a vocal critic of the ICE enforcement actions in Los Angeles, said he had a conflicting injury rehabilitation assignment but made clear he would not have attended regardless. Pitcher Edgardo Henriquez also did not participate.
Roberts had addressed the invitation earlier this year when the team accepted it, seeking to depoliticize the visit. "I'm not a politician, and I'm doing something that teams have done for decades," he said. "I'm a baseball coach. That's what I do." He added that he hoped the Dodgers would earn invitations annually by continuing to win championships.
Championship teams have traditionally visited the White House for decades, though Trump's first term saw several notable absences when teams declined or were not invited, including NBA and WNBA champions. This year, the White House has hosted the Olympic gold-winning U.S. men's hockey team and the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder opted out of a visit, while the owner of the 2026 champion New York Knicks indicated Trump extended an invitation but the team has made no decision.
Author James Rodriguez: "The Dodgers got their moment in the Rose Garden, but the missing stars and lingering local controversy turned what should have been a straightforward celebration into something far messier."
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