Former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz he would not attend a White House ceremony this week due to President Trump’s treatment of immigrants, joining manager Alex Cora in the boycott.
“You don’t want to go and shake hands with a guy who is treating immigrants like (expletive) because I’m an immigrant. Once you see what is going in this country based on being an immigrant or being black, it’s something that goes beyond going into the White House and shaking hands with the president just because,” Mr. Ortiz, who is from the Dominican Republic, said in an interview with WEEI Boston Monday.
“I’m not saying everything Donald Trump is doing is bad but I guess he started off on the wrong foot,” he said.
Mr. Ortiz met President George W. Bush in 2004 and 2007 and President Barack Obama in 2013, but said the way Mr. Trump has “divided people” has dulled the excitement.
“You get excited about going and seeing the president. But nowadays with all the controversy going on with the president and the sports teams not wanting to go, it’s more of a challenge,” he said.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday he was turning down an invitation to the White House ceremony because of the president’s response to Hurricane Maria’s devastation.
“The government has done some things back home that are great, but we still have a long ways to go. That’s our reality. It’s pretty tough to go celebrate when we’re where we’re at. I’d rather not go and be consistent with everything,” Mr. Cora, a native Puerto Rican, said.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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