President Donald Trump is facing a bit of pushback following his claim that the New York Yankees invited him to throw the opening pitch at Yankee Stadium on August 15.
After it was confirmed that Dr. Anthony Fauci would be throwing the first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ season opener, Trump claimed the Yankees had extended a similar announcement to him.
“Randy Levine is a great friend of mine from the Yankees,” Trump told reporters referring to the team’s president on Thursday as Dr. Fauci prepared for the game. “And he asked me to throw out the first pitch, and I think I’m doing that on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium.”
Just three days after making the statement, the president changed his tune as he insisted he would not be present at the game.
On Sunday, he tweeted, “Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the [Yankees] on August 15th. We will make it later in the season!”
Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15th. We will make it later in the season!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2020
According to The New York Times, however, both the White House staff and New York Yankees were reportedly “surprised” by Trump’s initial remarks because there reportedly had never been any final discussion about the president taking the mound for any upcoming games this season.
The Time reports that Trump “had not actually been invited on that day by the Yankees,” citing a person familiar with the president’s schedule.
The publication also reports that after learning of the Washington Nationals’ invitation to Fauci, it was the president who directed White House aides to reach out to the Yankees in hope that he could take the team up on a longstanding offer to throw the opening pitch.
The New York Times wrote:
“Mr. Trump had been so annoyed by Dr. Fauci’s turn in the limelight, an official familiar with his reaction said, that he had directed his aides to call Yankees officials and make good on a longtime standing offer from Mr. Levine to throw out an opening pitch. No date was ever finalized.
After the president’s announcement, White House aides scrambled to let the team know that he was actually booked on Aug. 15, although they have not said what he plans to do. “
See a clip of the report below:
https://youtu.be/VzuRFlkbVe8
The New York Yankees have yet to confirm whether or not the president will throw out the first pitch at a game this season.