U.S. President Donald Trump made headlines at Yankee Stadium as he attended the New York Yankees’ matchup on the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The visit, filled with mixed reactions from fans and a bold prediction for the Yankees, added extra attention to a night already steeped in remembrance.
A presidential appearance at Yankee Stadium
Trump’s arrival at Yankee Stadium was met with a combination of cheers and boos from the crowd when he appeared on the big screen during the national anthem. He was seated alongside Yankees co-owner Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine. According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Trump became just the third sitting U.S. president to attend a Yankees game, joining George W. Bush and Warren G. Harding.
Notably, Donald Trump’s appearance was briefly interrupted on the New York Yankees’ YES Network broadcast when a season-ticket commercial aired during his second on-camera feature.
Donald Trump delivers message to Yankees players
Before the game, Donald Trump addressed the Yankees inside their clubhouse. In his speech, he recalled his friendship with late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and predicted that the team would make a deep postseason run.
“George Steinbrenner was a great friend of mine, the whole family, it’s a great family. Randy is wonderful, and I gotta say, you’re gonna win… You’re going to go all the way. You’ll get in the playoff, and I think we’ll start — how about tonight? We’ll start from tonight, and you’re going to do well.”
He also referenced a moment from earlier in the season when the Boston Red Sox visited him at the White House, joking that their winning streak was tied to the visit.
“Randy was telling me, the Boston Red Sox came to the Oval Office, they wanted to come. What am I going to do, say no? And they won 15 games in a row. I just want to wish you guys a lot of luck. You’re great players, I know every one of you.”
Yankees chasing postseason berth
At the time of Donald Trump’s visit, the New York Yankees sat 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East standings and were tied with the Boston Red Sox for second place. They still occupied one of the American League’s three wild-card slots, keeping playoff hopes alive.
A group photo was taken to mark the occasion, though some notable Yankees stars, including Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger, were absent.
Tight security measures at the stadium
As expected, Trump’s attendance significantly heightened security at Yankee Stadium. Fans were urged to arrive three hours before the game, with TSA-style screenings in place. Only small clutch bags were permitted, while Trump himself watched from behind protective glass.