Despite the ongoing decline in the stock market due to his tariff policies, Donald Trump decided to shift his focus away from the economic challenges faced by the United States. Instead, on Monday, he extended a warm welcome to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House.
The purpose of the meeting between the Dodgers and the president at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was to celebrate their World Series win in 2024. The team gathered for this occasion before commencing a three-game series against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
Last fall, the Los Angeles team showcased their dominance by defeating the New York Yankees in a series that almost ended in a clean sweep of their East Coast rivals. The Dodgers sealed their victory with a remarkable 4-1 scoreline.
And Trump, who hailed the players gathered behind him in the East Room as ‘the best-looking people I’ve ever seen,’ congratulated the Dodgers on their achievement.
True to character, the Commander-in-Chief also seized the chance to take aim at his political rivals as he launched into a bizarre tangent about the price of eggs.
‘We have a couple of senators here. I just don’t particularly like them, so I won’t introduce them,’ he added, while referring to Democratic California senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff who were in attendance.
President Donald Trump welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House Monday
Star Shohei Ohtani (L) and manager Dave Roberts (R) were among the Dodgers in attendance
The Dodgers’ visit came amid Trump’s refusal to back down on his tariffs policy as he threatened China with a further 50 per cent, despite substantial economic losses over the past week.
Yet, the 78-year-old failed to mention the economic nightmare that the nation is faced with, instead returning his attention to the baseball players in attendance.
He shook hands with manager Dave Roberts and stars Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Kike Hernandez after individually showering them with praise.
Trump spoke highly of Roberts, whom he hailed as ‘one of the greatest managers ever to wear the Dodger blue.’
He said Ohtani, who was unanimously named National League MVP, ‘looks like a movie star,’ before claiming the Japanese star, who enjoyed a historic season entering the 50/50 club, has a ‘good future’ ahead of him.
‘He shattered all of those records last year,’ Trump said of the two-way sensation. ‘Think of it, all of them, and he did something even more because he became the first ever member of the 50-50 club. So 40-40 is tough, hitting 54 home runs and 59 steals and accomplished an accomplishment unparalleled in 149 years of Major League Baseball. Think of that. That’s just incredible.’
‘Even more incredibly, Shohei clinched that achievement in what some have called the greatest game ever. Was it that good of a game? That was pretty good. Is he good?,’ he continued turning to Roberts, who answered: ‘He’s only getting better.’
‘That’s scary for a lot of people, huh?,’ the president replied.
The president greets Dodgers manager Roberts on the podium in the East Room
The Commander-in-Chief shakes hands with the reigning National League MVP Ohtani
Mookie Betts (front left), who skipped the Red Sox’s visit in 2019, was in attendance
Trump, despite being a Yankees fan, also said he hopes the team receives another championship invite to the White House next year. ‘All year the Dodgers faced adversity, you entered the playoffs battered and bruised, but not broken,’ he said.
Yet, Trump’s praise wasn’t reserved to the Dodgers’ skills on the diamond as he also bizarrely gushed over their handshakes, comparing them to the ‘Jell-o’ arms of politicians.
Following the president’s remarks, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw gave a brief speech announcing that the team had a ‘gift’ for Trump, before presenting him with a personalized ‘No. 47’ jersey.
Trump then whisked the World Series champions down to the Oval Office, where he strangely made Ohtani pose next to the Declaration of Independence.
‘What a guy,’ he declared as Ohtani smiled for the cameras.
The trip to the nation’s capital is traditional for all US sports teams who have clinched their respective championship but, similarly to their NFL counterparts, the Philadelphia Eagles, there had been question marks over the attendance of the MLB franchise – in particular, Betts.
Given Betts rejected the chance to meet Trump as a Red Sox champion six years ago, there was speculation that he could repeat his no-show.
But speaking to the LA Times over the weekend, Betts revealed he would be at the White House Monday.
Pitcher Clayton Kershaw presented Trump with a personalized ‘No. 47’ jersey
Kershaw delivered a brief speech on behalf of his teammates before presenting the gift
Trump, greeting Teoscar Hernandez, said he hoped to welcome the Dodgers back next year
‘No matter what I say or what I do, people are gonna take it as political,’ he said. ‘This is not about me; I don’t want anything to be about me.
‘It comes with the territory, being Black in America in a situation like this. It’s a tough spot to be in.
‘No matter what I choose, somebody is gonna be p***ed. Somebody is gonna have their own opinion. But again, this is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about the Dodgers. It’s about my loyalty to these boys, this clubhouse. And that’s all it is for me.’
Betts added that he regretted his non-attendance for the ceremony at the White House in 2019.
And Betts stayed true to his word on Monday – likely much to the displeasure of the Dodgers’ own fanbase.
Following the team’s confirmation last month that they would visit the White House, which manager Roberts called a ‘great honor’, Angelinos were left fuming over the decision.
The fanbase, located in the Democratic heartland of California, branded the move a ‘slap in the face.’
