In Washington, President Donald Trump welcomed Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and the Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off their World Series title, to the White House on Thursday. He praised the club as one of the premier brands in existence during a Rose Garden gathering that marked their second championship in successive seasons.

Trump noted the Dodgers had defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 the previous fall, calling it a tremendous series. He expressed surprise that the team had not secured consecutive crowns before and speculated about the possibility of another title next season.

I am delighted to welcome you back to the White House, he remarked, and perhaps our paths will cross again in the coming year.

The president had previously recognized the squad in the East Room in April 2025 for their 2024 championship against the New York Yankees. He mentioned particular anticipation about encountering Ohtani, whom he likened extensively to Babe Ruth and suggested could rank among the finest hitters and pitchers the sport has seen.

When discussing brands, it stands as one of the finest anywhere globally, Trump stated about the Dodgers. He addressed attendees beside a display featuring two World Series trophies and a Trump 47 jersey gifted by the team.

The Dodgers also presented Trump with what appeared to be a duplicate World Series ring. This led him to comment, Wow, must I declare this item? I prefer not to declare it, before tucking the ring into his jacket pocket.

Attendees donned blue Dodgers caps to shield against strong sunlight overhead, while the band performed an instrumental jazz rendition of Randy Newman's I Love LA ahead of Trump's appearance.

Trump recounted the extended Game 3 from the prior World Series, in which the Dodgers prevailed 6-5 after 18 innings. He mentioned watching until roughly 3 a.m., observing that the contest lasted quite some time yet proved captivating.

I believed you might drop the game on four or five occasions, only to secure the win, he added, noting that fortune can play a role as well. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts concurred that fortune holds value.

Yet talent often brings its share of good breaks, Trump continued.

The president mentioned a brief exchange with Roberts before the gathering, learning that the team holds the top record in baseball at present, and remarked that his schedule had been occupied with matters involving Iran and additional priorities.

This marked his sole allusion during the event to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East that have intensified recently on multiple fronts.

Roberts spoke briefly as well, stating the group aims for a three-peat.

Baseball championship squads have visited the White House since 1869, when President Ulysses S. Grant received the Cincinnati Red Stockings. That squad represented the first fully professional team to make such a trip and finished the season without a loss, although the modern World Series format began in 1903.

Visits by sports teams to the Trump White House have occasionally sparked debate. In 2018, the president withdrew an invitation to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles after several players indicated they might decline to attend.

Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts did not attend the Thursday Rose Garden event, though he participated in the 2025 gathering. He explained a preference for spending scheduled off days with family.

The Dodgers had initially planned a White House visit this past April amid a series with the Washington Nationals, yet a packed early-season calendar prevented it. Instead, they traveled to the capital on an off day between a completed series versus the Philadelphia Phillies and Fridays matchup against the New York Mets in Queens.

Over the past year, Trump has updated the Rose Garden and introduced a patio space evoking his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida. At the Thursday event, he referenced the Walk of Fame added along the colonnade, which includes plaques honoring former presidents alongside pointed remarks directed at Joe Biden and other Democrats.

I could add some outstanding Dodgers to the wall, Trump quipped, yet it seemed more fitting to feature the presidents instead.

Trump, a baseball enthusiast and New York native, has long maintained ties to the Yankees, whose former owner George Steinbrenner was a close associate. He referenced Steinbrenner on Thursday, noting he would pursue victory at any cost, before telling the Dodgers ownership, Yet you pursue the same approach.

The president does not always extend such praise to clubs. During a rally in Georgia on Wednesday, he commended the Atlanta Braves ownership while criticizing the Mets for their elevated payroll and subpar record.

Trump appeared alongside former Braves manager Brian Snitker and Mike Plant, president and CEO of the Braves Development Company, at that gathering.

You know, the Mets carry the highest payroll in baseball yet fall short repeatedly, Trump observed then, adding that perhaps we could recruit this individual.

Certain teams maintain consistent success without decline, Trump said. Others claim they are rebuilding, a process that drags on for years. I avoid naming specific clubs since I know all the owners and count them as friends.