Neither the Las Vegas Aces nor Gotham FC received invitations from President Donald Trump to celebrate their respective 2025 league championships, as confirmed by both teams this week. This marks a departure from previous traditions where championship teams were welcomed at the White House.
After securing their third WNBA title in 2025, the Aces did not receive a call from the White House. In contrast, the team had visited the White House on two prior occasions, meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris in 2022 and later celebrating their 2023 championship alongside both Harris and President Joe Biden.
Shifts in White House Sports Celebrations
Similarly, Gotham FC, the reigning champions of the NWSL following their 2023 victory, confirmed that no invitation from the Trump administration was extended. Although Gotham FC was the first NWSL team to visit the Oval Office, the current champions refrained from commenting on whether they would accept another potential invite.
The New York Liberty also did not receive an invite after their 2024 championship win. Instead, they opted to visit former President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., bypassing the traditional White House celebration.
In an unusual turn of events, the gold medal-winning USA Hockey team made headlines when they declined their White House invitation. Team captain Hilary Knight publicly addressed the decision after Trump humorously suggested he had to invite the women’s team to avoid impeachment, a remark that drew significant attention.
Notably, the 2019 Baylor women’s basketball team, coached by Kim Mulkey, remains the only women’s sports team to have accepted a White House invitation during the Trump administration.