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One notable absence stood out during the Indiana Hoosiers’ White House visit on Monday — and President Donald Trump noticed.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, did not attend the visit, prompting Trump to explain why he was “not happy” about it.
“I’m not happy, but that’s okay,“ Trump exclaimed before sharing Mendoza’s reason for not showing up, via X/Twitter. ”The reason he didn’t because he’s at spring training, right?"
Mendoza skipped the visit to attend his new team’s organized team activities (OTAs) in Las Vegas — not spring training, as Trump suggested.
“If he was not here for other reasons like he didn’t like Trump or he didn’t want to come, I wouldn’t have even mentioned him,” Trump added. “But he’s a great guy actually and he is actually a big fan of what we’re doing for our country.”
Mendoza hinted that he would miss the White House visit during a press availability last week. He cited a conflict in his schedule with the Raiders.
“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here,” Mendoza said, via YouTube. “I’ve got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. I don’t know anything official. I don’t have a calendar, but I just wouldn’t as a rookie. I don’t think that’s a good look. I want to try to best serve my teammates and I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”
Mendoza helped lead Indiana to its first national championship, defeating Miami in January. He won the Heisman Trophy after completing 72.0% of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions. The Raiders selected him with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mendoza is expected to begin the season on the sideline, immersing himself in the Raiders’ scheme and learning the playbook. Kirk Cousins is expected to open the year as the starting quarterback.
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