President Trump welcomes the Boston Red Sox to the White House
Raw video: Members of the 2018 World Series champions gift President Trump a jersey during visit to the White House.
MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski was incredulous that some Boston Red Sox players celebrated their World Series win at the White House while others refused.
"The reasons why these players didn't go are so much more important than getting a free trip to the White House," she said on Friday. "Come on. Stick with your team."
Some of the players indicated dismay with the administration and its actions. “I made the choice not to go because, as we know, the president has said a lot of stuff about Mexico,” pitcher Hector Velazquez said.
"And I have a lot of people in Mexico that are fans of me, that follow me. And I’m from there. So I would rather not offend anyone over there.”
Brzezinski and co-host Joe Scarborough disagreed over how "difficult" the situation was. "Nothing difficult," she said. (Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage)
The players' decision came after a string of other sports champions refused to attend the White House, with many disapproving of the president's actions. Trump caught special criticism from the sports community after he chastised NFL players who chose to protest racism by kneeling during the national anthem at games.
Trump, on Thursday, highlighted the Red Sox visit. "Today, it was my honor to welcome the 2018 World Series Champion," he tweeted.
Sports champions like the Red Sox, which won the 2018 World Series, have visited the White House as part of a tradition that preceded Trump's administration.
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The players who did attend, Brzezinski indicated, failed to abide by some kind of team etiquette.
"If one member of the team is not comfortable — or two or three — why would anybody on that team go?" she asked. "I don't get it. I mean, isn't it all about unity?"
Brzezinski and co-host Joe Scarborough disagreed over how "difficult" the situation was. "Nothing difficult," she said.
Scarborough said it was difficult, explaining that he wouldn't tell "a 23-year-old kid from Texas — that may never get a chance to go to the White House again — you've got to make a political statement even if you don't follow politics."
"The reasons why these players didn't go are so much more important than getting a free trip to the White House," she said on Friday. "Come on. Stick with your team."
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"That said ... man, it's about the unit. It's about the team," he added. Scarborough previously said that he'd skip the White House celebration if he were a Red Sox player.
"I do wish that one white leader on the team would have just held back and said, 'Listen, I want to go — we'll win again, I'll go next year, but you know what, I'm going to just stay back with my teammates,'" he also said.
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Scarborough suggested on Friday that players had a special obligation to stay behind given that Trump was "the most racist president certainly in our lifetime."
Trump, as Scarborough noted, has faced criticism over his comments surrounding Mexican immigrants and the racially-charged protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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