Trump criticizes MLB during Inter Miami celebration at the White House

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

More specifically, his discontent with the current MLB product.

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

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“I love sports and I saw my friend A-Rod with George Steinbrenner, we were sitting in his box just the two of us,” Trump said, looking at Alex Rodriguez, who was sitting to his left in the crowd. Rodriguez appeared to be at the White House for a different occasion, as Trump mentioned that he told him to go to the MLS celebration.

“He would never have anyone but me,” Trump continued of the legendary New York Yankees owner in Steinbrenner. “He liked you, didn’t you? He liked you, you liked him. He didn’t like almost anyone.”

Then Trump gave MLB a shot today, a product he doesn’t like.

“It would be a World Series when baseball was cool; it’s not so cool now, I’ll be honest with you. They do things wrong,” Trump said, although he did not elaborate. “But when baseball was hot as a gun, I sat [with Steinbrenner] and I would watch the Yankees. “They would have 30 seats and it would just be me and him.”

Trump’s lack of explanation 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 handles its product.

Donald Trump, at the urging of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, speaks at the Girls Club of Greater Tampa’s annual Boys & Steak ‘N’ Burger Benefit at the Downtown Hyatt in Tampa, Florida, August 19, 1988. (Victor Junco/St. Petersburg Times)

Among them are large markets versus small markets, as payrolls continue to skyrocket without a salary cap. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the best 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 have the highest payroll in the league ($396 million), the New York Mets ($368.66 million), the Yankees ($325.82 million) and the Philadelphia Phillies ($311.18 million) are not far behind. But when facing teams like the Miami Marlins ($78.11 million), Cleveland Guardians ($94.75 million) and Washington Nationals ($102.41 million), the talent gap can sometimes lead to lopsided games.

However, MLB has a critical year ahead, as everything could change if a salary cap is implemented in collective bargaining negotiations. But it doesn’t sound like the MLB Players Association wants a cap at all, which could lead to some tense negotiations and a potential lockout with the current collective bargaining agreement 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 baseball-related issues. Manfred’s arrival in the nation’s capital came after Trump said he would forgive the late Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, while criticizing the league for excluding him from the Hall of Fame because of the game.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Inter Miami CF in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, U.S., on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Inter Miami CF is visiting the White House to celebrate its 2025 championship victory. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg)

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

Before the MLB begins its 2026 season, the World Baseball Classic will take place, as the games have already begun. Team USA, with one of the best rosters in its history, will begin its tournament on Friday in Houston against Team Brazil.

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