 LSU Football White House Invitation Controversy

The LSU Tigers football team won the 2020 National Championship game, which is the highest honor in college football in the United States.

The tradition of college sports teams visiting the White House dates back to the 19th century when President Theodore Roosevelt hosted the Harvard University football team in 1904.

[{"selector":"#anim-1bec6e48-5f26-421a-a9e0-f3a378d707d9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b9305c7-ce85-443f-9647-8b5f820ee14b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

LSU has visited the White House twice before, in 1958 and 2008, to celebrate their football team's victories.

[{"selector":"#anim-9cd72b78-61c6-45e4-82e2-f93900515eb4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aed64ca7-1ee6-460c-8c59-8ab5bf482d5a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many college sports teams to cancel their seasons or play with limited capacity in stadiums.

[{"selector":"#anim-a0e8f266-d115-4194-9ef0-540e538c4aaf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dcb45a65-5c7f-4bf8-8606-b98ded98aea3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

The LSU player who initially called the White House invitation 'A JOKE' was linebacker Devin White, who now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL.

[{"selector":"#anim-343bd017-b9a3-4c64-bfbc-f5b966750af6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6eb030f2-8d00-4f78-a4ef-d7cdb9c98c01","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Devin White was not a part of the 2020 LSU football team that won the National Championship and was not invited to the White House.

[{"selector":"#anim-5638659f-15b1-47bd-8b8d-504cd292f77f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a67a19b-8d21-4d13-a497-cff10926936f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

The White House invitation was only extended to the LSU football team and not to individual players or coaches.

[{"selector":"#anim-27cf4dc1-660f-4cf1-89c8-e4e817760ca8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a710bfef-295b-4b24-8456-021a21de9d30","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

White House invitations to college sports teams are usually extended by the President or the First Lady as a way to recognize their achievements.

[{"selector":"#anim-59b0e819-c2f3-41fe-aea1-ef5eed53163b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fba2ce16-1042-49a4-9d86-087fec747b6a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

In 2017, the entire South Carolina women's basketball team declined a White House invitation from President Trump due to scheduling conflicts.

[{"selector":"#anim-715c56fa-5444-4a93-830b-bfa2f7007f78 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4718395e-2bc5-4242-b344-932c0151603a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

The University of Virginia men's basketball team did not visit the White House in 2019 after winning the National Championship because they were not extended an invitation.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f22f761-1a1d-473d-98bd-d7979846f95a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fec0f9f8-63aa-44e9-bde9-516de58ebc4b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Some sports teams choose to decline White House invitations due to political differences or other reasons.

[{"selector":"#anim-8eecf216-439b-4a25-8ca6-2461ebf8b2d9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c87d6c45-205f-4095-ad9e-4aaa6f7f3982","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

In 2021, the University of Alabama football team visited the White House to celebrate their National Championship win, but it was a scaled-back event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[{"selector":"#anim-92c5dcbf-5287-41d1-9354-ea8faf649881 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a365c7e8-c803-4626-b3bb-a9e8fea76c77","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

During his presidency, Barack Obama often hosted championship teams from a variety of sports and was known for his basketball skills.

[{"selector":"#anim-313890b8-fdb6-40a9-bfd5-a68f5df57d47 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e69285dc-4502-4160-8d40-fb0fb71cc596","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

The tradition of championship teams visiting the White House has faced criticism in recent years for being overly politicized and for promoting a certain type of patriotism.

[{"selector":"#anim-01bfd6f6-6499-425b-b87c-0b3b54dcc8e2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95801b5d-7d51-4959-a176-ca2ab1d95052","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

The White House invitation to the LSU football team in 2020 was a controversial topic among fans and politicians alike, with some arguing that it was inappropriate during the pandemic.

[{"selector":"#anim-5f205c27-9ed4-4fe1-95da-bceed037beaf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d85014ba-a945-4b2b-b55d-ca3b6e3c84e6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]