Jose Altuve stole the show when the Houston Astros visited the White House on Monday to be recognized for winning the World Series, and the reigning AL MVP insists it was not intentional.
Several photos and videos showed Altuve standing behind Donald Trump with a very serious look on his face while the president was delivering his speech. On Tuesday, Altuve said it was an “honor” to be at the White House and said he was just trying to be respectful.
Jose Altuve spoke to reporters today about the reaction to his expression during yesterday’s White House visit. "The president was talking. What do you want me to do? I was just standing there listening. It was an honor to be there. If I didn't want to go, I just wouldn't go."
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) March 13, 2018
More Altuve: "I'm (standing) behind the president, probably one of the most important guys in the world. I can't be laughing or doing stupid things while he's talking. I need to listen."
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) March 13, 2018
The internet, of course, drew its own conclusions about what may have been on Altuve’s mind. Many felt Altuve’s body language was his way of making a political statement, and there was one very awkward moment where it appeared Trump intentionally skipped over Altuve while dishing out handshakes.
It’s possible that Altuve disagrees with Trump’s policies, but that doesn’t mean his facial expressions on Monday were indicative of that. If he felt strongly enough about not going, he would have stayed home like Carlos Correa.
