The Dodgers Went To Grandpa’s House! - Defector

What the report says

Defector reported that President Donald Trump hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday to recognize the team’s 2025 World Series championship. The article, written by David Roth and published July 24, 2026, focused less on the ceremonial sports visit itself than on Trump’s remarks and the setting in which the team appeared.

According to Defector, Trump used part of the event to discuss changes he said were being made around the White House, including a new helipad and alterations to the Rose Garden. The piece cited remarks in which Trump described replacing grass with white stone and pointed to gold lettering added to an awning. Defector also noted that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and players stood behind him during portions of the event.

The article highlighted Trump’s comments about Shohei Ohtani and Babe Ruth, saying the president praised Ohtani’s rare status as both an elite hitter and pitcher while making several historically inaccurate claims about Ruth’s career and a past baseball transaction. Defector characterized the episode as an awkward version of a familiar White House sports-champion ritual, with the team effectively serving as an audience for Trump’s digressions.

Defector’s broader framing was sharply critical of Trump and of the modern presidential spectacle, arguing that the visit reflected how White House ceremonies can become centered on the president rather than the honorees. The report also described a later photo opportunity in the Oval Office, where Trump posed with Dodgers players amid a heavily decorated office space.