Donald Trump declined to throw out the first pitch for the Yankees earlier this week, claiming he was too busy battling Coronavirus. In reality, he was never even invited.
When the President announced he would be throwing out the first pitch, he surprised both his own staff and the New York Yankees since the team hadn’t asked him to.
Trump reportedly claimed he was going because he was jealous of Dr. Antony Fauci, who threw out the first pitch Washington Nationals’ season opener. The Nationals were playing the Yankees.
White House officials apparently scrambled to secure Trump’s attendance at the game on 15 August before he eventually “cancelled” the event, despite the fact is wasn’t happening.
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“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,” Trump tweeted.
“We will make it later in the season!”
It seems the President thought he could throw out the first pitch because of a standing invitation from Yankees president, Randy Levine.
“Randy Levine is a great friend of mine from the Yankees,” Trump had said on Thursday.
“And he asked me to throw out the first pitch, and I think I’m doing that on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium.”
There was, however, no formal invitation and no plan.
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Darragh Roche is a journalist covering U.S. politics and media
