A controversial video posted on social media this week appears to show a Washington Nationals executive claiming that the team discriminates against Catholic pitcher Trevor Williams due to his having been outspoken about his faith.
The video, posted to X by “guerrilla journalist” James OʼKeefe, apparently shows Sean Hudson, the director of community relations for the Nationals, claiming that the baseball team “[doesnʼt] use” Williams in certain team activities due to his having criticized an LGBT group that mocks Catholic religious imagery.
Williams spoke out in 2023 against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to honor the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” with a “Community Hero Award.” Members of the group of drag performers dress up in attire resembling Catholic nuns and engage in sexualized performances.
The group also uses imagery of Jesus and the Blessed Mother in its performances. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has referred to the displays as “blasphemy.”
The recent OʼKeefe video, posted to X on May 26, features a man identified as Hudson describing Williams as a “super Catholic” and referencing his criticism of the drag group.
“Because of that, [the team doesnʼt] use him on social [media],” Hudson claims in the video.
In a statement to EWTN News on May 28, the team said it was “aware of comments made by an employee which were recorded without the employee’s knowledge and disseminated without his permission.”
“The statements are not only factually incorrect, but do not reflect the views, opinions, or actions of the Washington Nationals,” the team said.
“The Nationals are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for our players, fans, and staff, and we vehemently deny any allegations to the contrary,” the statement added.
Hudsonʼs LinkedIn page, meanwhile, appeared to have been taken down as of May 28.
Allegations prompt filing from Catholic group
The video prompted a federal filing from the Catholic advocacy group CatholicVote, which announced on May 27 that it had sent a formal letter of complaint to Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justiceʼs civil rights division.
CatholicVote CEO Kelsey Reinhardt claimed the video showed a “direct admission that a Catholic player may have been excluded from official team promotion because he publicly defended his faith.”
“Catholics are not asking for special treatment. We are demanding equal treatment under the law,” she said. CatholicVote said it asked the Department of Justice to investigate the team for the alleged discrimination.
The organization said it also sent a letter to the Nationals demanding a detailed breakdown of the teamʼs policies regarding its treatment of religious players and how it plans to respond to the controversy.
Williams told “EWTN News in Depth” in 2023 that his criticism of the Dodgers “had to be said.”
“We cannot stand idly by while Our Lord gets mocked,” he said at the time.
Several weeks after the controversy involving the drag group, Williams invited women from religious orders to a “Ladies Night” being held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
“If we’re going to have a ‘Ladies Night’ at the stadium, what better opportunity to bring our religious sisters out to the game?” Williams said in an interview with the Catholic Herald.
