Heisman Winner Skips White House—Trump Says He Told Him To

When Indiana University’s national championship team showed up at the White House on Monday, May 11, one major player was conspicuously absent: Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, the Las Vegas Raiders’rookie quarterback.

But here’s the thing—President Trump didn’t seem bothered. In fact, he went out of his way to defend Mendoza’s no-show, telling reporters that the 22-year-old had given him a perfectly valid reason and that Trump himself had encouraged him to prioritize his new job.“He’s been great and he’s at spring training, like his first day or something. I said,‘You better go there,'”Trump explained during the ceremony on the South Lawn. The president made it clear that he wouldn’t even have mentioned Mendoza’s name if the quarterback had skipped for less noble reasons—like, say, personal politics.

Mendoza had confirmed earlier in May that he wouldn’t be making the trip to D.C. because May 11th marked the first day of organized team activities (OTAs) with the Raiders.“I’m at the bottom of the totem pole here [in Las Vegas], I’ve got to prove myself,”he told reporters on May 2.“I can’t miss practice…I’m a rookie. I don’t think that’s a good look.”It’s a refreshingly direct take from a young athlete who just won one of sports’most prestigious individual awards—choosing to show up for his new team over a ceremonial trip, no matter who’s hosting.

All eight Hoosiers who were drafted into the NFL ultimately couldn’t attend the 30-minute ceremony. But Mendoza’s absence stood out, partly because his story is compelling in its own right. In December 2025, while accepting the Heisman, he dedicated the trophy to his mother in an emotional speech:“Mami, this is your trophy as much as it is mine. You’ve always been my biggest fan. You’re my light, you’re my‘why,’you’re my biggest supporter.”His mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007 and now uses a wheelchair—so last month, instead of attending the NFL draft in Pennsylvania, Mendoza chose to celebrate with his parents in their Florida hometown.

That’s the kind of priority-setting that tends to earn respect across the political spectrum. Trump clearly gets it.“He’s a big fan of ours,”Trump said with a laugh,“but you wouldn’t believe it because he didn’t show up. I’m not happy, but that’s OK, the reason he didn’t is because he’s at spring training. I actually said,‘Let him. He’s gotta win.’I think he’s going to win pretty early.”In a moment when everything feels polarized, it’s oddly refreshing to see a world leader publicly cheering on a young athlete for taking his responsibilities seriously—even if it meant missing a presidential ceremony.