Trump criticizes modern MLB during White House event: ‘They do things wrong’

The celebration revolved around a soccer team, but President Donald Trump was talking baseball at the White House on Thursday afternoon. 

More specifically, his displeasure with the current MLB product. 

Trump was hosting Inter Miami CF, the 2025 MLS Cup champions featuring world soccer legend Lionel Messi, when he decided to interject a bit of baseball into the conversation. 

“I love sports and I watched my friend A-Rod with George Steinbrenner – we’d sit in his box just the two of us,” Trump said, looking at Alex Rodriguez who was seated to his left in the crowd. Rodriguez seemed to be at the White House for a different occasion, as Trump mentioned that he told him to come up for the MLS celebration.

“He would never have anybody but me,” Trump went on about the legendary New York Yankees owner in Steinbrenner. “He liked me, right? He liked me, he liked you. He liked almost nobody.”

Then, Trump took a shot at MLB today, a product he isn’t fond of. 

“It would be a World Series when baseball was hot – it’s not as hot now, I’ll be honest with you. They do things wrong,” Trump said, though not elaborating. “But when baseball was hot as a pistol, I’d sit [with Steinbrenner] and I’d watch the Yankees. They’d have 30 seats, and it would just be me and him.”

The lack of explanation from Trump can only lead to speculation about why he doesn’t like the sport today, but there are some debates about the game and how MLB runs its product.

Among them are big markets versus small markets, as payrolls continue to skyrocket without a salary cap. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the prime example, as their spending spree continued this offseason after defending their World Series title in a thrilling seven-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays last season.

But while the Dodgers own the league’s highest payroll ($396 million), the New York Mets ($368.66M), Yankees ($325.82M) and Philadelphia Phillies ($311.18M) are not too far behind. But when they go against teams like the Miami Marlins ($78.11M), Cleveland Guardians ($94.75M) and Washington Nationals ($102.41M), the talent gap can sometimes lead to lopsided games. 

MLB has a critical year ahead, though, as that all could change if a salary cap is implemented in collective bargaining agreement negotiations. But it doesn’t seem the MLB Players’ Association wants a cap at all, which could lead to some tense negotiations and a potential lockout with the current CBA set to expire at the end of the year. 

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also visited the White House in April 2025, where he and Trump discussed issues pertaining to baseball. Manfred’s arrival in the nation’s capital came after Trump said he would pardon the late Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, while criticizing the league for barring him from the Hall of Fame due to gambling. 

Rose was posthumously removed from MLB’s permanently ineligible list in May 2025, allowing him to be considered for the Hall of Fame. 

Before MLB kicks off its 2026 season, the World Baseball Classic will be held as games have already begun. Team USA, fielding one of its best rosters ever, will begin its tournament on Friday in Houston against Team Brazil. 

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