Mookie Betts says he regrets attending White House ceremony after backlash

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their 2024 World Series win with a ceremony at the White House on Thursday, a tradition that has drawn mixed reactions from fans. Star outfielder Mookie Betts told the Orange County Register that the decision to attend the event continues to bother him because of the backlash it generated. > "Last year, I think I did it and I realized I didn’t do it for me. On top of that, you make someone happy, you make someone else unhappy. I don’t want to keep doing that to myself. That’s pretty much it," Betts said. He added an apology for the choice to skip this year’s planned visit, noting that any decision would inevitably upset some people. > "I apologize… to the people that it’s going to piss off. Because it’s going to piss somebody off," he said. Betts said he declined the latest invitation to spend the off day with his family and emphasized that his decision was not political. The Dodgers’ White House appearance has been highlighted by local commentary linking the visit to broader political tensions in Los Angeles.