President Donald Trump is welcoming star player Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Thursday as the team celebrates its second consecutive World Series championship in as many years. The Rose Garden event marks a return visit for the defending champions, following a similar celebration Trump hosted for the Dodgers in April 2025 after they won the 2024 title.
The Dodgers made history last October when they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in an 11-inning Game 7 thriller, becoming the first repeat champions in a quarter century. They are only the second team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to accomplish back-to-back titles.
The team accepted the White House invitation before spring training began. The visit was originally scheduled for early April during a series against the Washington Nationals, but scheduling conflicts involving the Easter holiday prompted the delay. The championship team will now visit during an off-day on their East Coast road trip, sandwiched between their series against the Philadelphia Phillies and upcoming games against the New York Mets.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers expressed enthusiasm for the visit, stating that “President Trump is excited to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers BACK to the White House to celebrate their World Series championship!” Manager Dave Roberts has embraced the tradition as a non-partisan honor. Speaking about future championships, Roberts said, “I hope that we get this invitation every year, because that’s the goal, to win a championship, to get this invitation to the White House.”
The tradition of World Series champions visiting the White House dates back to 1869, when the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional team to visit under President Ulysses S. Grant. The Dodgers have previously participated in this custom, visiting the White House after winning the 2020 championship under President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and returning in 2021 for the official celebration.
Not all players will attend the 2026 visit. Star shortstop Mookie Betts announced he will skip the celebration to spend time with his family on the scheduled day off. Betts emphasized the decision is personal and not political, citing the recent arrival of a new baby in his family. “I just want to spend some time with the fam and take an off day,” he explained. He noted the difficulty of his position, saying, “If I do go, people are gonna hate me. If I don’t, people are gonna hate me. So instead of trying to make everyone else happy, I’m gonna think about myself and my family.”
Utility player Kiké Hernández will also be absent from the visit. He is currently on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, recovering from an oblique injury. However, Hernández indicated he likely would not have attended even if he were on the active roster, saying, “I probably wouldn’t have gone.” Hernández has been vocal about concerns regarding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies affecting the Los Angeles area.
Betts’ decision represents a shift from his participation in the Dodgers’ 2025 White House visit. Last year, he initially was undecided about attending but ultimately chose to go to avoid becoming a distraction. During that April visit, he shook hands with Trump, who praised him saying, “That guy can play, can’t he? I mean, unbelievable.” Betts has previously expressed regret about declining to attend a White House visit with the Boston Red Sox in 2019 during Trump’s first term, calling the decision “selfish” in hindsight.
Sports teams visiting Trump at the White House have been sources of controversy during both his terms. In 2018, Trump rescinded an invitation to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles after many players suggested they might skip the visit. More recently, championship teams including the 2017 Golden State Warriors, 2018 Philadelphia Eagles, and 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder declined invitations to visit the Trump administration.
The Dodgers organization has reframed their visit as following a longstanding sports tradition. The team said in a statement that “the Dodgers’ upcoming visits to the White House and Capitol Hill follow the longtime tradition of visits by other World Series champions,” adding, “We appreciate these tributes in recognition of our back-to-back championships.”
Since their last visit to the White House, the Trump administration has conducted immigration enforcement operations in Southern California. The Dodgers and their Los Angeles fanbase have faced significant backlash over the decision to attend, with some fans and immigrant-rights advocates expressing concern over the visit. Despite the controversy, the organization maintained its commitment to participate in the championship tradition.