The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to the White House on Thursday to celebrate their 2025 World Series title with President Donald Trump, though notable superstars Mookie Betts and Kike Hernandez were among the absentees on the day.
Nine months on from their epic Game 7 victory to claim back-to-back championships, the two-time defending champions made a one-day detour to the nation’s capital.
The afternoon ceremony took place in the Rose Garden, where members of the team gathered alongside both of their recent Commissioner’s Trophies and presented Trump with a custom white No. 47 Dodgers jersey.
‘I’m thrilled to say welcome back to the White House,’ Trump told the team during the ceremony. ‘And maybe we’ll see you again next year, I hope.’
While Shohei Ohtani and the majority of the roster chose to ignore fan backlash and attend the festivities, some key figures were noticeably absent from the podium.
Betts opted to skip the ceremonial visit entirely to spend time with his family, while Hernandez missed out due to being on the injured list and not traveling on the team’s current road swing.
Donald Trump welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Thursday afternoon
Nine months on from their epic Game 7 victory to claim back-to-back championships, the two-time defending champions made a one-day detour to the nation’s capital
While Shohei Ohtani and the majority of the roster chose to ignore fan backlash and attend the festivities, some key figures were noticeably absent from the podium
Los Angeles superstar Mookie Betts opted to skip the team’s trip to the White House
Trump, meanwhile, opened his speech on the day with a slight dig at Joe Biden.
‘This is really the new Rose Garden. How beautiful this is. This used to be grass. And it was always wet. The White House is built on a wetland,’ he said on the day.
‘We had a lot of very upset women who would stand there in high heels. And they’d go down like quicksand. I decided to do something about it.
‘This has become an incredible area for dining, and news conferences. This is the first time we’ve ever used the new Rose Garden. You think Biden would do this? I don’t think so.’
Front-office leadership was also split for the trip, with owner Mark Walter, team president Stan Kasten, and executive vice president Lon Rosen accompanying the players to Washington.
However, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes remained behind to focus on roster strategy ahead of MLB’s upcoming trade deadline.
Prior to the event, manager Dave Roberts, infielder Miguel Rojas and reliever Will Klein also made a separate afternoon visit to the Capitol building to meet with lawmakers.
The Dodgers flew into Washington on Wednesday night following their series against the Philadelphia Phillies and will travel up to New York for a matchup against the Mets.
