Trump Hosts Indiana Hoosiers at White House to Celebrate 2025 Football Title

President Donald Trump welcomed the Indiana Hoosiers to the White House on Monday afternoon to celebrate their status as 2025 College Football Playoff champions.

The visit capped a whirlwind year for the Hoosiers athletic department. It marked the latest stop in the nation's capital for head coach Curt Cignetti.

Later this month, Cignetti will drive the honorary pace car for the Indianapolis 500. That's one of the few times the coach leaves the Hoosiers practice facility as he gears up for the 2026 season.

On Monday, players from the 2025 team gathered one last time. They toured Washington, D.C., monuments before heading to the White House. There, they met the president and held a party on the South Lawn to mark their championship.

Indiana had won the College Football National Championship in a thriller over Miami.

Trump stood next to head coach Curt Cignetti and wide receiver Charlie Becker during the South Lawn celebration.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza missed the event. The player drew fans with his on-field play and upbeat interviews at Indiana. His absence stemmed from his new job with the Las Vegas Raiders and ongoing rookie organized team activities. Mendoza appeared to mix up the dates, though. The Raiders do not start OTAs until the 18th, even though he recently said he thought they began that day.

"He called me and explained why he couldn’t be here," Trump said of Mendoza. "If he was not here for any other reason. If he did not like Trump, I would not have mentioned him for any other reason. I like him, he's actually a big fan of what we're doing...Fernando couldn't be here today because he's now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. I hope he does good."

Several other players could not make the trip, but the celebration went on.

Congressional leaders from Indiana joined fans of the program, including Dan Dakich and Clay Travis, on the crowded South Lawn.

The Hoosiers aim to repeat as national champions with a strong roster for 2026.