WASHINGTON –– Nine months removed from their epic Game 7 triumph in last year’s World Series, the Dodgers’ 2025 championship was recognized one final time on Thursday, with the two-time defending champions being welcomed back to the White House by President Trump for the second-straight year.

After drama surrounded the organization about whether or not they would visit the White House this year, the Dodgers made a one-day trek down to the nation’s capital on Thursday. During an off-day on their current road trip, they were hosted by Trump during a ceremony in the Rose Garden.

“I’m thrilled to say welcome back to the White House,” Trump said. “And maybe we’ll see you again next year, I hope.”

So began a late-afternoon commemoration, in which members of the team gathered with the president on a stage alongside both of their recent Commissioner’s Trophies.

For the better part of 20 minutes, Trump praised the club’s accomplishment from last October, calling them a “special team” and last year’s World Series “among the most thrilling championships in the history of the sport.”

“This is a very special event,” Trump said. “Because it’s the Dodgers. And they’re world champions.”

White House trips have become a common occurrence in recent years for the Dodgers, who visited with President Biden in 2021 following their 2020 World Series victory before returning last April in the wake of their 2024 title.

For this year’s trip, most holdovers from last year’s roster were in attendance, with the exception of Mookie Betts (who decided to skip the event to spend time with his family) and Edgardo Henriquez, as well as those currently on the injured list and not traveling with the team (such as Kiké Hernández and Will Smith).

Now-retired pitcher Clayton Kershaw also flew in to join his old teammates –– and was asked by Trump at one point, “If they needed you [now], you’d be out there, right?”

“No, sir,” Kershaw, who has become a special advisor in the Dodgers’ front office, quickly responded with a grin.

Owner Mark Walter, team president Stan Kasten and executive vice president Lon Rosen (who is also now president of the Walter-owned Lakers) were present, as well. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes were not, having stayed back from the team’s road trip this week ahead of MLB’s upcoming trade deadline.

“I just want to say that we’re very grateful to be here,” manager Dave Roberts said after accompanying Trump onto the stage alongside Walter, who also gave a short address.

“We did something that hasn’t been done in [almost] 30 years, going back-to-back as World Series champions,” Roberts added. “And we are going for a three-peat.”

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Speaking before a crowd that featured members of both Congress and his cabinet –– including Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Trump noted is a “big Dodger fan” –– Trump highlighted many of the standout moments and contributions from the Dodgers’ 2025 campaign.

He called Roberts a “hell of a manager,” Shohei Ohtani an “international legend,” and also singled out the performances of Max Muncy, Freddie Freeman, Will Klein, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Miguel Rojas and Andy Pages, shaking hands with each of them.

Trump then shared his own memories of watching the Dodgers’ title trek, from Ohtani’s historic three-homer, 10-strikeout performance in the National League Championship Series (“I said to myself, ‘That’s the greatest game ever played by one person”) to the 18-inning marathon victory in Game 3 of the Fall Classic (“It was a long one, but it was amazing”).

During the World Series, Trump joked that he had a particularly close rooting interest in the Dodgers to beat the Toronto Blue Jays, having made “a little bet with the Prime Minister of Canada” going into the matchup.

“I was not feeling so good for a little while,” Trump quipped, referencing the Dodgers’ three-games-to-two-deficit entering Game 6.

“Neither were we,” Roberts chimed in with a chuckle.

Alas, the Dodgers prevailed, mounting a comeback that Roberts said epitomized the character of his club.

“I hope when you watch our guys play, you can be proud and say, ‘These guys do things the right way,’” Roberts said.

After the speeches from Trump, Roberts and Walter –– who said, “we hope to be back here again next year” –– the Dodgers then presented Trump with a custom No. 47 jersey and personalized World Series ring, before he invited the group into the Oval Office to conclude the ceremony.

“This is really a special team, with special winners, champions,” Trump said. “Just unbelievable. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see them back again.”