President Trump didn’t hold back on the mic during the Dodgers’ visit to the White House to celebrate their 2024 World Series win over the Yankees on Monday.
Trump threw shade at the Red Sox for trading away former AL MVP Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in 2020 — and at one point, he complimented Shohei Ohtani’s appearance and likened the Dodgers slugger to a movie star.
“Mookie. That guy can play, can’t he? I mean, unbelievable,” Trump, 78, said of the veteran. “I don’t want to say I watched him on Boston, but I did.
“I didn’t think that was a particularly good trade when they made it, and I happened to be right.”
In February 2020, the Dodgers acquired Betts, as well as former Cy Young Award winner David Price and cash from the Red Sox for outfielder Alex Verdugo, shortstop Jeter Downs and catcher Connor Wong.
The move was despised from the jump from the Red Sox fan base with Betts interested in signing a long-term deal to stay in Boston.
The Red Sox have finished in last place in the AL East three times in the five seasons since trading away Betts, and have only made the postseason once.
Meanwhile, Betts has won two more World Series in Los Angeles with last year’s alongside Ohtani, who crushed 54 home runs in his first season with the franchise.
“He looks like a movie star,” Trump said of the 30-year-old Japanese star. “He’s got a good future, I’m telling you.”
Trump went on to call Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts “one of the greatest managers ever to wear the Dodger blue.”
The president added that he hopes the Dodgers will win the 2025 World Series so they can return to the White House.
“I hope you’re going to be back here next year,” Trump said.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw and team owner Mark Walter presented Trump with a custom jersey with his name and No. 47 on the back.
On Friday, Betts announced that he would attend the Dodgers’ White House visit after he declined Trump’s invitation to celebrate the Red Sox’s 2018 World Series win over the Dodgers.
“Being Black in America in a situation like this, it’s a tough spot to be in,” Betts said on Friday. “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.”
Last month, the Dodgers announced they would accept Trump’s invitation to the White House “in keeping with long-standing baseball tradition.”