WASHINGTON — President Trump hosted the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House Rose Garden on Thursday, using the celebration to spotlight recent upgrades to the historic outdoor space and to share that he had “a little bet” with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over the Fall Classic.
Trump did not say what was at stake between the two leaders during the Dodgers’ dramatic seven-game showdown with the Toronto Blue Jays, a tense championship series that Los Angeles narrowly captured.
Much of the president’s praise centered on Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, whom Trump described as a rare two-way phenomenon — “the best pitcher and the best hitter at the same time” — while adding that “Babe Ruth was pretty close.”
Trump singled out Ohtani’s unforgettable performance against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS on Oct. 17, 2025, when the Japanese sensation launched three home runs and helped send Los Angeles back to the World Series.
“In the decisive game Shohei pitched a six-inning shutout, struck out 10 batters, and on the other side of the plate hit an unbelievable three home runs,” Trump told the crowd.
“In fact, I was watching the game, and before the announcer said it, I said, ‘That might be the greatest game ever played,’” he added.
Trump, a longtime sports enthusiast who played baseball when he was younger, said he followed the Dodgers’ World Series battle with Toronto closely — and with plenty of nerves.
“That World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays proved to be among the most thrilling championships in the history of the sport,” he said.
“I watched it because I was having a a little bet with the prime minister of Canada, I had a little bet. I was not feeling so good for a little while. It wasn’t looking so good either.”
The president told guests of his newly updated Rose Garden that the event was the first to feature a sports team since the renovations — pointing out the new white stone pavers and the adjacent Presidential Walk of Fame.
Women in heels “went down like quicksand” in the Rose Garden when it was grass, Trump quipped.
“That took place for about 150 years, and I decided to do something about it.”
He said that the seat cushions are now four inches thick, rather than 1-inch, and noted his snarky biographies on plaques below photos of US presidents beneath the Colonnade.
“Generally speaking, I was very nice to the people up there,” he joked. “A couple of them probably not as nice as I could have been.”
