Trump Says He'll Skip Yankees Pitch Because Of His 'Strong Focus On The China Virus'
US President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he won’t throw out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game with the Boston Red Sox after all because he’ll be too busy addressing what he called the “China virus” — meaning COVID-19.
It was only a few days ago — Thursday — that Trump said he would throw out the ceremonial pitch at Yankee Stadium in New York City on Aug. 15.
The turnabout came a day after Yankees players Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks took a knee during the national anthem before a game at Washington’s Nationals Park in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
The men said they plan to do so all season. Trump called athletes who took a knee in the past as a protest against racism and police brutality “sons of bitches.”
Trump revealed his change of heart, citing his demanding schedule, in a tweet after a weekend of golfing at his New Jersey course.
“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 15,” he tweeted. “We will make it later in the season,” he added.
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. We will make it later in the season!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2020
Trump has been harshly criticised for his racist COVID-19 misnomer “China virus” as a bid to demonise the Chinese for a disease that he has failed to contain in the US He has also referred to COVID-19 as the “kung flu,” a phrase his own White House counselor, Kellyanne Conway, has called “highly offensive.”
President Trump talks about the many names of Coronavirus, including “Kung Flu”. pic.twitter.com/m0aQLfpNuT
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 21, 2020
Trump’s approval rating...
