President Joe Biden believes it is important to have a "conversation” about the name of the Atlanta Braves and the team’s controversial "tomahawk chop" chant, his spokeswoman said as the White House hosted the World Series winners.
"He has consistently emphasized that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday at the White House. "We should listen to Native American and indigenous people who are the most impacted by this.”
Biden himself said nothing about the team’s name or the chant in public remarks while meeting Braves players and staff on Monday, including star pitcher Max Fried, shortstop Dansby Swanson and third baseman Austin Riley. The president hailed the team’s playoff success and praised recently deceased Braves slugger Hank Aaron for confronting racism "with dignity and class.”