Overview
- The Dodgers visited the White House on Thursday, July 23, 2026, for a Rose Garden ceremony where owner Mark Walter presented President Trump a personalized No. 47 jersey and a World Series championship ring.
- President Trump used the event to praise the team, singled out Shohei Ohtani for extended praise and joked about having to report the gifted ring as a declared gift.
- Most of the active roster attended the ceremony, but high-profile players including Mookie Betts and Enrique “Kiké” Hernández did not go, citing family time or injury and in Hernández’s case earlier comments opposing recent immigration actions.
- The visit reopened sharp criticism from many Dodgers fans, especially in the club’s large Latino community, who pointed to recent ICE raids in Los Angeles and questioned the team’s public response to those operations.
- Team leaders framed the stop as a sports tradition focused on winning and the pursuit of a third straight title, but coverage showed the ceremony also reinforced how White House honors now carry political and ethical optics for players, owners and fans.