President Donald Trump arrived at Yankee Stadium Thursday night for the team’s game against the Detroit Tigers on the 24th anniversary of 9/11. Trump received a mixed reaction from the crowd initially, which became a loud ovation when he was shown on the stadium’s video scoreboard during the national anthem.
What did Trump do before the game?
After waving to the crowd, Trump sat behind bulletproof glass in the Steinbrenner suite. He did not take part in the pregame ceremonies that honored the victims and heroes of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The president and First Lady Melania Trump visited the 9/11 observance at the Pentagon earlier on Thursday.
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Trump, a New York City native, met with Yankees captain Aaron Judge and other players in the team’s clubhouse before the game. He shook hands, wished them luck and took a photo with the entire team.
“George Steinbrenner was a great friend of mine, and he said, ‘I don’t know what it was, we won every time I came’. Every time I came, we’d win a game, so you’re going to win (tonight).” Trump told the players.
There was a heavy police presence outside Yankee Stadium in the hours leading up to the game, including dozens of Secret Service, TSA agents and NYPD officers, according to The Athletic. There was no parking allowed in a one-block radius around the stadium, and several helicopters circled overhead.
How did MLB prepare for Trump’s visit?
The Yankees and Major League Baseball urged fans to “budget extra time for entry due to enhanced security measures at all Yankee Stadium entrances” before the game. Gates usually open an hour and a half before first pitch, but opened a full three hours early. Bags were also not allowed in the stadium with the exception of one “clutch-type” item per guest that is no larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.
Trump has made appearances at several sporting events this year. He was the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in February in New Orleans. He also attended the Daytona 500 and several UFC matches as well as a LIV golf tournament. Sunday, he watched the US Open men’s tennis final and said he will also attend the Ryder Cup golf tournament later this month in Bethpage, New York. This was the first baseball game Trump has attended in his second term.
Trump’s visit to the Billie Jean King Tennis Center led to an increased presence by the U.S. Secret Service and more rigorous security screening of fans, causing a half-hour delay in starting the final match.
Is Trump the first president to visit Yankee Stadium?
Before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush famously threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium. Bush wore a jacket from the New York City Fire Department with a bulletproof vest underneath and threw a strike to Yankees catcher Todd Greene. Deafening chants of “U.S.A.!” rang throughout the stadium. The act was a symbol of resilience and unity, and is regarded as the beginning of the healing process for the city and the nation.
Thursday’s ceremony was the second in two days at the stadium. The Yankees held a moment of silence Wednesday night for conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his assassination at an event at Utah Valley University.
The Yankees are hoping to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers as they fight to stay in the playoff race with just 17 games left in the season.
