Red Sox manager Alex Cora to skip White House visit, citing Trump administration's hurricane response in Puerto Rico
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora will skip his team's scheduled visit to the White House Thursday. Cora, who is from Puerto Rico, cited the Trump administration's hurricane response on the island as the reason of his decision. Puerto Rico continues to struggle with its recovery more than 18 months after Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
Following the team's win over the Chicago White Sox, Cora said Sunday that he would not attend this week's ceremony honoring the 2018 World Series champion Red Sox. He led the team to its ninth world title in his first year as manager.
"The government has done some things back home that are great, but we still have a long ways to go," he said. "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."
In an earlier statement obtained by Puerto Rican newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, he said that it's a "personal decision" and it doesn't reflect the rest of organization's views. According to the Associated Press, Cora said he informed the Red Sox of his decision a few days ago.
A day after Cora's comments, President Trump tweeted about the island Monday, saying, "Puerto Rico has been given more money by Congress for Hurricane Disaster Relief, 91 Billion Dollars, than any State in the history of the U.S." However, a recent study found the federal government's response to hurricanes Harvey and Irma on the mainland was faster and more "generous" — in terms of resources and funds — than its assistance to Puerto Rico.
CBS Boston reports players Xander Bogaerts, David Price, Mookie Betts and Rafael Devers have already said they will not go to the White House either. Boston plays at Baltimore Monday through Wednesday and has a day off on Thursday.
Cora had been mulling over the decision for months. He's been vocal about the need for hurricane relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and before deciding not to go, he indicated he saw the White House visit as a way for him to advocate for more help for his homeland.