Former ESPN employee Jemele Hill expressed her disappointment with the Los Angeles Dodgers for their visit to the White House to celebrate their 2024 World Series win with President Donald Trump. Hill criticized the Dodgers on her podcast, citing recent news of Jackie Robinson’s military service momentarily disappearing from the Department of Defense’s website. She remarked that the Dodgers’ decision to engage with a president whose administration had tried to erase Robinson’s legacy was disappointing. Hill emphasized the importance of acknowledging and learning from history, highlighting the need to prevent its repetition. Clarifying the situation, the Department of Defense explained that the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion content, which included Robinson’s article, was part of an AI-driven process with a tight deadline, leading to inadvertent errors. Despite the missteps, the Department swiftly reinstated Robinson’s article. The article also mentioned the upcoming visit of the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House and owner Jeffrey Lurie’s positive outlook on the invitation. Lurie considered the White House celebration a “time-honored tradition” and welcomed the opportunity for the team to participate.
