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Defending World Series champions Mookie Betts and the LA Dodgers have received an invite from US President Donald Trump to pay a visit to the White House on Monday. After the invitation was announced, many thought what Betts would decide, given he had previously declined the invitation in 2019 after winning the 2018 World Series.
The Dodgers won their eighth World Series title in 2024 after beating the New York Yankees in five games. As a part of a tradition that has reportedly been going on since 1865, they earned the invite from POTUS.
According to MLB insider Bill Plunkett, Betts has decided to be there with his boys for the White House visit.
“I want to be there with my boys because they’ve been there for me,” the Dodgers shortstop said.
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Betts recalled his past decision in 2019, when he along with his manager Alex Cora decided not to accept the invite from the White House.
"I made it about me," he said. "I'm not the same person I was then."
Moreover, Betts also told reporters in Philadelphia that he doesn't consider his decision "political."
Mookie Betts elaborates on his decision to be there with the Dodgers for White House visit
Mookie Betts never revealed the reason why he declined the invitation to the White House in 2019. At the time, he had said:
"I won't be going there. I decided not to."
However, this time, while he will be there with his boys, he elaborated that he's no less pissed at the current state of the US, especially for the Black community.
"Being Black in America in a situation like this, it's a tough spot to be in," Betts said. "No matter what I choose, somebody is going to be pissed. This is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about the Dodgers and my loyalty to these boys in the clubhouse."
Betts and the Dodgers could be regulars at the White House, given how they are primed to win the World Series almost every year. With the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and others, the Dodgers are the favorites this year to repeat as champions.
They have started the season strong, with eight straight wins, before they suffered their first loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on the road on Friday.
