WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President feted Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday, calling the team 鈥渙ne of the great brands anywhere in the world鈥� during a Rose Garden event celebrating its second title in as many years.
Trump said the Dodgers edging the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 last fall capped 鈥渁 hell of a series.” He indicated he was surprised to learn that the Dodgers had never before won consecutive titles but also mused about a third in a row.
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to say welcome back to the White House,” he said. “And maybe I鈥檒l see you again next year.鈥�
The president saluted the team in the East Room in April 2025 to mark their 2024 over the New York Yankees. He said before the latest event that he was most excited about meeting Ohtani, whom he compared at length to the legendary Babe Ruth 鈥� even saying the Dodgers star was arguably the best hitter and pitcher in baseball.
“It鈥檚 truly a great 鈥� when you talk about a brand 鈥� it’s one of the great brands anywhere in the world,鈥� Trump said of the Dodgers. He spoke in front of a table with two World Series trophies and a Trump 47 jersey, which the team presented to him.
The Dodgers also gave Trump what looked like a replica of a World Series ring. That prompted Trump to exclaim: 鈥淲ow. Do I ? I don’t want to report this” before slipping the ring into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
Trump says Iran war has kept him from following baseball closely
Those in the crowd wore blue Dodgers caps to guard against bright overhead sun, and the band played a jazzy instrumental version of Randy Newman鈥檚 鈥淚 Love LA鈥� before Trump took the stage.
Trump described last year’s World Series’ epic Game 3 during which the Dodgers won 6-5 in 18 innings. Trump said he stayed up until around 3 a.m. to watch, noting that 鈥渋t was a long one, but it was amazing.鈥�
鈥淚 thought it was a game that you were going to lose about four or five times, and you ended up winning,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淟uck is OK, too, right?鈥� Dodgers manager Dave Roberts agreed: 鈥淟uck is OK.鈥�
鈥淏ut with talent you get a lot of luck,鈥� Trump continued.
The president said he spoke briefly with Roberts before the event and learned that his team currently has the best record in baseball, noting, 鈥淚’ve been a little busy with Iran and some other things.鈥�
That was his only reference during the event to which has escalated on both sides in recent days.
Roberts also spoke briefly, saying, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going for a three-peat.鈥�
Championship baseball teams have been coming to the White House since 1869, when President Ulysses S. Grant hosted the Cincinnati Red Stockings. They were the first fully professional team to visit the White House and went undefeated that season, though the World Series wasn鈥檛 established in its modern form until 1903.
Sports teams’ visits to the Trump White House have sometimes been a source of controversy. In 2018, the president rescinded an invitation to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles after many players suggested they might skip such a trip.
Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts wasn鈥檛 at Thursday鈥檚 Rose Garden event, though he did make the 2025 visit. He said he prefers to spend the team鈥檚 scheduled days off with his family.
The Dodgers originally considered coming to the White House this past April during a series with the Washington Nationals, but a crowded early season schedule didn鈥檛 permit that. Instead, they鈥檙e in the nation鈥檚 capital during the off-day between a just-completed series against the Philadelphia Phillies and Friday鈥檚 opener against the New York Mets in Queens.
The White House has changed since the Dodgers’ last visit
Over the past year, Trump has revamped the reminiscent of his club in Florida. At Thursday’s event for the Dodgers, he referenced the 鈥� 鈥� installed on the colonnade, which features plaques of past presidents along with partisan insults against Joe Biden and other Democrats.
鈥淚 could put some of the great Dodgers on the wall,” Trump joked, 鈥渂ut I figured maybe it’s more appropriate that we put the presidents.鈥�
Trump, a baseball fan and New York native, has for years been closely associated with the Yankees, whose late, longtime owner George Steinbrenner was a close friend. Trump referenced Steinbrenner on Thursday, saying, 鈥淗e would do anything to win” before telling the Dodgers’ team owners, “But you鈥檙e doing the same thing.鈥�
The president isn’t always so complimentary of teams, though. During a rally in Georgia on Wednesday, he praised the ownership of the local Atlanta Braves and slammed the Mets for their sky-high payroll and losing record.
Trump was joined on stage during that event by former Braves manager Brian Snitker, and Mike Plant, president and CEO of the Braves Development Company.
鈥漎ou know, the Mets have the highest salary in baseball, and they lose all the time,” Trump said then. And I鈥檓 like, maybe we can steal this guy.鈥�
鈥淭here are teams like that, where they never go down,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭hen you have other teams 鈥� 鈥榃e鈥檙e rebuilding.鈥� They鈥檝e been rebuilding for years. I don鈥檛 want to mention teams 鈥檆ause I know all the owners. They鈥檙e all friends of mine.鈥�
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This story has been corrected to show Game 7 was last November, not last October.
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