Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
President Trump tweeted Sunday that he will no longer be able to throw out the opening pitch for the New York Yankees on Aug. 15 because of his "strong focus" on the coronavirus.
Why it matters: Unlike past presidents, Trump has never thrown out a first pitch while in office. The Yankees' decision to invite Trump had prompted backlash among some New York elected politicians.
- Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted: "After CONDEMNING racism, the next step isn’t inviting it to your pitcher’s mound. To the players that knelt for the BLM movement, we applaud you. To the execs that have aligned with hatred, you are on the wrong side of history and morality."
- Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. tweeted that he was "shocked and outraged" by the decision: "On June 8, the Yankees released a statement that in part read: “Black lives matter." ... By inviting President Trump to throw out the first pitch, they are blatantly demonstrating that their pronouncements are cynical and devoid of genuine meaning."
What he's saying: "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!"