For years, Alex Rodriguez was a frequent target of criticism from President Donald Trump, particularly during the slugger’s controversial final seasons with the New York Yankees.
But a recent moment at the White House hinted that the dynamic between the two high-profile figures may have shifted.
Rodriguez was among the notable guests invited to Washington as the president honored Inter Miami CF for winning the 2025 MLS Cup, a ceremony that also celebrated soccer icon Lionel Messi and the club’s championship run.
The gathering drew sports figures from multiple leagues and served as a rare intersection of soccer, baseball, and politics. While the event centered on Inter Miami‘s title victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps, Rodriguez‘s presence created an unexpected subplot given his long-running history with Trump.
During his remarks, the president turned briefly from soccer to baseball and addressed Rodriguez directly, recalling time spent watching Yankees games with the team’s late owner George Steinbrenner.
“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.
The comment, referring to Rodriguez as a “friend,” stood out because it contrasted sharply with Trump‘s earlier comments about the three-time American League MVP.
In the early 2010s, Trump posted numerous messages criticizing Rodriguez as the slugger dealt with injuries, declining performance, and controversy surrounding performance-enhancing drugs.
“The @Yankees must re-negotiate @AROD‘s contract. He is not the same player without drugs,” Trump wrote on May 21, 2012.
In another tweet from August 2013 he wrote, “It is a great victory for NYC that A-Rod will never wear pinstripes again.”
At the time, Rodriguez‘s career was being defined as much by scandal as by statistics. The slugger admitted earlier in his career to using performance-enhancing drugs, and he served a lengthy suspension from Major League Baseball in 2014.
Despite finishing with 696 home runs, one of the highest totals in league history, the controversy has complicated his path to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
A White House ceremony brings unlikely reunion
Rodriguez‘s appearance in Washington was tied primarily to his long association with Miami. The former All-Star grew up in the city and remains closely linked to its sports landscape, even though he does not have a formal role with Inter Miami‘s championship roster.
A White House spokesperson explained that connection when discussing the guest list.
“Alex Rodriguez is a Miami legend and the White House was excited to have him join the celebration of the 2025 MLS Cup Champions Inter Miami FC,” spokesman Davis Ingle told Front Office Sports.
The ceremony itself celebrated one of the most significant moments in Major League Soccer‘s recent history. Inter Miami captured the 2025 MLS Cup with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps, with Messi earning MVP honors after helping lead the club through the postseason.
The White House event brought together players, executives, and sports figures as Trump praised the global impact of Messi and the growing popularity of soccer in the United States.
Yet it was the brief exchange involving Rodriguez that generated some of the most attention afterward. The two men also posed for photographs together during the visit, a notable change from the years when Trump regularly criticized the former Yankees star on social media.
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