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Donald Trump hosted nan World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers astatine nan White House connected Thursday for nan team’s 2nd travel to nan White House successful 2 years.
The squad gave nan president a civilization jersey and a World Series title ringing during a ceremonial astatine nan Rose Garden. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, prima first baseman Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and head Dave Roberts were among those successful attendance, while respective players – astir notably prima shortstop Mookie Betts and inferior man Kike Hernández – opted not to attend.
“Special winners, unbelievable,” Trump said. “I would not beryllium amazed to spot them backmost present again.”
In remarks that besides included lengthy tangents connected erstwhile Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner and nan renewal of nan Rose Garden, Trump complimented respective Dodgers players while besides confusing nan roles of immoderate others. He made a lengthy comparison betwixt Ohtani and legendary slugger Babe Ruth, and praised Clayton Kershaw, nan Dodgers ace who sounded an inning of past year’s epic World Series Game 3 win complete nan Blue Jays successful 18 innings.
“I watched him hit a batch of teams. They didn’t do excessively good against him. He is still pitching well, I bet,” Trump said of Kershaw, who retired aft past year’s World Series.
Trump said he said pinch Roberts earlier nan arena and expressed astonishment astatine nan Dodgers’ position this play arsenic nan champion squad successful baseball, but noted he’s “been a small engaged pinch Iran and immoderate different things”.
The squad gave Trump what appeared to beryllium a replica of their title ring.
“Wow. Do I person to study this?” he said arsenic he put nan ringing successful his jacket. “I don’t want to study this.”
The Dodgers’ travel to nan White House near galore of their fans pinch conflicted feelings, fixed caller ICE raids and protestation crackdowns successful nan metropolis of Los Angeles arsenic ordered by nan Trump administration.
Betts, who did not participate successful nan Boston Red Sox’s travel during Trump’s first word but was location during nan Dodgers’ visit past year, told reporters he preferred to walk nan time pinch his family. Hernández, an outspoken professional of nan ICE raids successful Los Angeles, said he had a conflicting wounded rehab duty but wouldn’t person participated if he was disposable to join. Pitcher Edgardo Henriquez besides reportedly did not attend.
“My individual line, my institution line, is I dream we get this invitation each twelvemonth because that’s nan goal, to triumph a championship,” Roberts said earlier this twelvemonth aft nan squad accepted nan invitation. “I’m not a politician, and I’m doing thing that teams person done for decades. And truthful that’s wherever I stand, really. I’m a shot coach. That’s what I do.”
Teams who person won a awesome title person traditionally been invited to nan White House to observe their triumph pinch nan president. During Trump’s first term, respective teams were not invited aliases made clear they would not attend, including champions from nan NBA and nan WNBA.
This year, nan White House has hosted nan Olympic gold-winning US men’s lucky squad and nan NHL’s Florida Panthers to observe championships. The Oklahoma City Thunder, nan 2025 NBA champions, opted not to visit; nan proprietor of nan 2026 champion New York Knicks has said Trump invited nan team but location has been nary determination made connected whether they will attend.
