Anti-Trump Revolt In Sports? LA Dodgers And FIFA World Cup Stars Push Back | First Sports

[00:00:00]Donald Trump may be one of the most powerful men in the world, but inside the sporting world, his popularity appears to be moving in the opposite direction. From basketball, American football, the FIFA World Cup, and even baseball, athletes and their loyal fan bases are increasingly choosing not to stand beside the US president. Some have skipped White House ceremonies, others have publicly criticized him, and some have even appeared to avoid him on football's biggest stage. Is this merely a coincidence, or is anti-Trump sentiment becoming one of the strongest undercurrents in the world of sport?

[00:00:37]The latest flashpoint came during the celebration of America's biggest baseball franchise, the LA Dodgers. The World Series winners visited the White House, a customary tradition in American sports, where the president of America welcomes winning teams from across the sporting spectrum. A championship ring was presented alongside a customized Dodgers jersey as everyone posed for photos.

[00:01:03]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Do I have to report this?

[00:01:20]I don't want to report this.

[00:01:22]That's beautiful. [music] Thank you.

[00:01:27]That's really >> [applause] [music] [music] >> Thank you very much.

[00:01:46]>> [applause and music] [music] >> Everything looked to Almost every big player and the team staff were in attendance. Everyone except Dodgers stars Mookie Betts and Enrique Hernandez. Naturally, their absence immediately became a bigger talking point than the visit itself, especially because Los Angeles has become one of the strongest centers of anti-Trump sentiment in all of America.

[00:02:16]Given the immigration crackdowns and ICE raids in recent months.

[00:02:21]>> You make someone happy, you make someone else unhappy. I don't want to keep doing that to myself. That's pretty much it.

[00:02:28]>> And it didn't start after the visit. The anger was pretty much there ever since the Dodgers accepted this invitation.

[00:02:35]Many Dodgers supporters openly criticized the club given the team's strong Latino fan base. For a section of the supporters, showing up at the White House was viewed as endorsing the administration. And that tells you something. Donald Trump is no longer just dividing politics. He divides locker rooms, supporters, and entire sporting communities. Because this isn't an isolated incident. In fact, American sports has repeatedly become one of the loudest stages for anti-Trump protest.

[00:03:05]And not just in recent weeks. It was a major platform during Donald Trump's first tenure, too. In 2017, Trump demanded owners sack players protesting during the national anthem. The reaction, hundreds of players took a knee in solidarity. Instead of ending the protest, his comments expanded it.

[00:03:25]The movement became one of the defining sporting images of modern America.

[00:03:30]>> [music] [music] >> Basketball wasn't any different. Stars like Steph Curry said they wouldn't attend White House ceremonies. Donald Trump responded by withdrawing the Warriors invitation. It led to another star, LeBron James, firing back publicly. The LA Lakers star called Trump a bum. Then came the NBA bubble.

[00:04:04]Following the deaths of George Floyd and Jacob Blake, players shut down playoff games entirely. This action was joined by athletes across the WNBA, MLB, and MLS. And even after Trump's return for a second term, protests haven't disappeared. Several championship teams have continued declining Whitehouse invitations. Athletes have increasingly chosen distance over photographs.

[00:04:30]Because for many, standing beside the current US president now carries consequences beyond just sports. The trend has even crossed sporting boundaries. Olympic freestyle skier Hunter Hess openly admitted he had mixed feelings representing the United States during the Winter Olympics this year.

[00:04:49]>> I think it's It brings up mixed emotions to represent the US right now, I think.

[00:04:55]Um it's a little hard. Um there's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren't.

[00:05:02]>> Donald Trump's response, he called him a real loser for his comments. But did that change any narrative? Well, not really. Hess responded publicly saying he had absolutely no regrets in speaking out. And the latest flashpoint came during the FIFA World Cup final earlier this month. Argentina defender Christian Romero appeared to shake hands with every dignitary on the stage, except, you guessed it, Donald Trump. His teammate Lisandro Martinez was also reported by several outlets to have walked by as well.

[00:05:36]>> [music] [music] >> Now, neither player has confirmed whether it was intentional, but the images spread across social media within just minutes. Whether deliberate or accidental, they only added to a growing perception. Look at the pattern. The NFL, NBA, MLB, Olympics, football, all different sports with completely different athletes, but one recurring figure, President Donald Trump. And it's not like every athlete opposes him. Many openly support him. Many proudly wear their MAGA hats. Some even attended the White House this week. But increasingly, choosing not to stand beside Trump has itself become a statement. The Dodgers reflect the wider pattern here. A pattern where Donald Trump keeps finding himself at the center of sporting controversy. Because, whether it's the NFL, the NBA, baseball, or even football's World Cup, one thing has become impossible to ignore. Anti-Trump sentiment isn't just a political movement any longer. It's increasingly becoming part of the sporting conversation as well.

[00:06:49]>> The world moves fast. Power shifts.

[00:06:53]Unexpected developments. Changing alliances. Everyday brings a new headline. [music] But headlines are only the beginning.

[00:07:03]Because behind every story, there is context. There are consequences, and there are questions worth asking.

[00:07:12]Find the answers. Understand the story.

[00:07:15]Take on the world.

[00:07:18]This is Him Kaur Saroya for Firstpost Vantage.

[00:07:24]>> Big shifts don't announce themselves.

[00:07:27]They arrive as updates, version numbers, a quietly changed headline. But zoom out, and you'll see it. The way we work is being rewritten. Cars are turning into software. Your phone already knows what you'll ask before you do.

[00:07:41]These aren't or hype. They're ripples.

[00:07:44]Small, quiet moments that spread until the whole surface is changed.

[00:07:49]This is Ripple, an explainer series around tech, auto, and AI with me, Kunal Tyagi, where we explain the future using the past and the present before it feels like one.