President Donald Trump stopped in the New York Yankees’ clubhouse before Thursday’s game to mark the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and to greet the players, an encounter Yankees slugger Aaron Judge called a “surreal day.” The team went on to beat the Detroit Tigers 9-3.
Trump, in New York to honor the anniversary, entered the clubhouse ahead of first pitch, shook hands with players and spoke to the squad briefly, telling them the team would “make the [playoffs]” and that they would “go all the way,” according to video of the visit. Judge said he had never met a sitting president before Thursday and described the moment and the day’s significance as important for unity.
“No matter your beliefs, I think just especially today, 9/11, the strength and resilience that New York City showed during one of the darkest hours, darkest times, it’s just an important day for all of us to come together, really,” Judge said. “It’s just kind of a surreal moment, surreal day, and for us to come out with a big win, especially the last two losses we had, it was just an all-around great day.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the meeting a “cool experience,” and said it was “a little intimidating” but that the president was “real personable.” Video from inside the clubhouse showed Trump moving through the room, exchanging handshakes and brief remarks with players, including a greeting with shortstop Anthony Volpe, who did not play.
On the field, Judge provided much of the offense. He hit two home runs, including an early blast into the left-field seats in the first inning and another in the third that tied Joe DiMaggio on the Yankees’ all-time home run list with 361. Judge joked that the team might need the president around more often after the offensive outburst.
Trump also was shown reacting during the seventh-inning stretch. The visit drew attention because it combined a presidential appearance with the emotionally resonant anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City, when many public figures and institutions mark the day with moments of remembrance.
The Yankees’ win snapped a two-game losing streak. Team officials and players described the visit as brief and cordial; Boone said he escorted the president into the main area of the clubhouse where players greeted him. The meeting added an unconventional pregame note to a day already marked by citywide ceremonies and remembrances for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
No additional events or policy announcements were made in conjunction with the clubhouse stop, and the Yankees resumed their scheduled game activities after the brief visit. The team’s next scheduled games will determine whether Trump’s prediction about the postseason holds true as the season progresses.