President Trump gave a speech contained in the Yankees’ clubhouse, then took his seat behind protecting glass at Thursday evening’s recreation within the Bronx, amid an amazing safety presence on the twenty fourth anniversary of 9/11.
Trump heard cheers and boos as he appeared through the nationwide anthem on the jumbotron, which confirmed him saluting from his suite alongside the third-base line. He was seated subsequent to Yankees president Randy Levine and proprietor Hal Steinbrenner.
The video board confirmed Trump once more in the course of the second inning, the place he soaked in longer display time.
Chants of “U-S-A” additionally stuffed the stadium throughout a pregame ceremony honoring victims and heroes of the 9/11 terrorist assaults.
These scenes unfolded shortly after Trump visited the clubhouse and described late Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner as “a great friend of mine.”
“You’re gonna win,” Trump advised the crew. “You’re gonna go all the way. You’ll get in the playoff, and I think we’ll start it off. How about tonight?”
Trump additionally shook palms with Aaron Decide, whom he referred to as a “fantastic” and “unbelievable player.”
“I appreciate that,” Decide stated.
Trump is the primary sitting president to attend a recreation at Yankee Stadium since Recreation 3 of the 2001 World Collection, when George Bush, carrying a bullet-proof vest, famously threw the ceremonial first pitch weeks after the tragedy.
The White Home had confirmed earlier this week that Trump deliberate to attend, and the Yankees responded by making ready followers for enhanced safety measures.
These included an unlimited presence of Secret Service brokers throughout the stadium, together with steel detectors and TSA officers exterior of the entrances.
Some gates employed Ok-9 canine, together with one exterior of the media entrance who sniffed baggage greater than 4 hours earlier than the sport as an NYPD helicopter flew overhead.
Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated earlier than the sport that he was “excited” for Trump to attend.
“I’ve had the honor and fortune of [seeing] some presidents over the years, first pitches or whatever it may be, so the fact that he’s going to be here is something that I’m excited to be a part of,” Boone stated. “To see and get to — I don’t know what it’ll be like — but to interact for a few minutes, it’s just something I’m looking forward to.”
Yankee Stadium opened its gates at 4 p.m., greater than three hours earlier than the scheduled 7:05 p.m. first pitch. Usually, Yankee Stadium opens its gates 90 minutes earlier than the scheduled begin time.
Thursday’s recreation occurred 5 days after Trump attended the boys’s last on the U.S. Open in Queens. That occasion began a half an hour later than scheduled as a consequence of extra safety measures, with many followers enduring lengthy strains and intensive wait instances to get into Arthur Ashe Stadium that day because of the additional precautions.
Earlier than Trump and the followers arrived on Thursday, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Boone introduced a wreath to Monument Park and positioned it subsequent to the Yankees’ 9/11 memorial.
“It’s always a sobering day, a day of reflection,” Boone stated. “But also a day, as a sport, where there’s some pride in the role our sport played in that time.”
