GLENDALE, Ariz. – The defending champions won’t be making a stop at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue during their first road trip of the season.
According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the Los Angeles Dodgers will not visit the White House during their early-April trip to Washington, D.C. to face the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers open their first road series there from April 3–5.
The decision effectively removes what would have been the easiest logistical window for a visit honoring the Dodgers’ championship following their victory in the 2025 World Series.
But the door has not been closed.
Team officials still expect the Dodgers to visit the White House at some point later this season, though no date has been set. Finding one could prove tricky. Once the Nationals series is off the table, scheduling a visit means navigating a packed baseball calendar, travel days and off-days that are already at a premium.
That complication may ultimately shape how the visit looks if it happens.
White House trips have long been a traditional celebration for championship teams across American sports. The Dodgers followed that tradition last year when they visited the White House after winning the 2024 World Series, meeting with President Donald J. Trump in a ceremony that included players, coaches and ownership.
Leah Millis-Imagn Images
President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony honoring the members of the 2024 World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the East Room at the White House.
Ownership figures such as Mark Walter and Stan Kasten attended, along with manager Dave Roberts and stars including Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.
The visit drew criticism in some corners, particularly from fans who believed the team should skip the ceremony as a protest against policies from the Trump administration. But the Dodgers largely brushed aside the backlash at the time, focusing instead on celebrating their championship.
Inside the clubhouse, the topic tends to be viewed less as a political statement and more as a personal choice.
The sense around the team is that not every player or staff member feels the same way about making the visit. That has been the case for championship teams across multiple administrations. Baseball clubhouses are large, diverse groups, and participation in these ceremonies has increasingly become optional.
The Dodgers experienced that firsthand last season. Despite the criticism surrounding their visit, the ceremony itself remained a celebration of baseball — the culmination of a championship season rather than a political event.
By skipping the April trip to the White House while in Washington, the Dodgers avoid turning the opening road trip of their title defense into a sideshow. At the same time, they leave open the possibility of honoring the tradition later in the year.
For now, the only confirmed stop in Washington is three games against the Nationals.
Whether the Dodgers eventually return to the nation’s capital for a second visit this season — this time to the White House — remains a question of timing.