At the intersection of sports legacy and political theater, President Trump has once again entered the debate over who belongs among baseball's immortals, championing Roger Clemens' case for Cooperstown while casting a skeptical eye on the game's broader institutional health. The intervention arrives as Major League Baseball faces a looming labor crisis, with a December deadline and the specter of a lockout shadowing a sport already navigating questions of relevance and integrity. Trump's repeated forays into the national pastime suggest that the distance between the dugout and the Oval Office
Trump Renews Roger Clemens Hall of Fame Push, Questions MLB's State
A bunch of jealous people with far less Talent voted him out
Mark
Why does Trump keep pushing for Clemens specifically? What's the connection there?
Mimi
They've played golf together, and Trump sees it as a clear statistical case—354 wins, seven Cy Young Awards. He views it as an injustice, a voting bloc that's let personal feelings override the numbers.
Mark
But Clemens never made it past 65% on the ballot. That's a real gap from 75%. Doesn't that suggest something deeper than jealousy?
Mimi
It does, but Trump frames it differently. He's not interested in the steroid-era context or the voting patterns. He sees a great pitcher being excluded and blames the voters, not the system.
Mark
What about the labor stuff? Is Trump actually going to get involved in the salary cap fight?
Mimi
Manfred says he doesn't want to speculate, but he also said Trump is "interested." Trump has shown he'll weigh in on sports policy—the college sports roundtable proved that. Whether he actually intervenes depends on whether either side asks.
Mark
And if there's a lockout in December?
Mimi
That's the real question. A work stoppage would be bad for baseball, and Trump doesn't like losing. If it happens, he might see it as a chance to broker something.
Le Pouls
- Trump took to Truth Social to accuse Hall of Fame voters of jealousy, arguing that Clemens' seven Cy Young Awards and 354 wins make his exclusion from Cooperstown an injustice driven by personal animus rather than merit.
- The post lands at a precarious moment for baseball, with MLB and the Players Association deadlocked over a salary cap system and a potential lockout looming if no deal is reached before December 1.
- Trump also leveled a pointed accusation at Commissioner Rob Manfred, claiming he had privately promised to reinstate Pete Rose but delayed the decision until after Rose's death — a charge that adds personal grievance to institutional critique.
- Commissioner Manfred has already acknowledged Trump's deep interest in sports business, leaving open the question of whether presidential pressure could reshape the outcome of baseball's labor negotiations.
- Clemens himself remains in limbo — never convicted, never admitted wrongdoing, yet falling short of the 75% threshold needed for election when his BBWAA ballot eligibility expired in 2022 at 65.2%.
At the intersection of sports legacy and political theater, President Trump has once again entered the debate over who belongs among baseball's immortals, championing Roger Clemens' case for Cooperstown while casting a skeptical eye on the game's broader institutional health. The intervention arrives as Major League Baseball faces a looming labor crisis, with a December deadline and the specter of a lockout shadowing a sport already navigating questions of relevance and integrity. Trump's repeated forays into the national pastime suggest that the distance between the dugout and the Oval Office may be shorter than it once seemed.
President Trump used Truth Social on Wednesday to renew his public campaign for Roger Clemens' induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, citing the pitcher's record seven Cy Young Awards, 354 career wins, and two World Series championships as proof that voters had let jealousy override judgment. "How about Roger Clemens not being in the National Baseball Hall of Fame," Trump wrote, pointedly noting that Clemens was neither convicted nor admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.
The post arrived as Major League Baseball faces a deepening labor crisis. The league and the Players Association remain at an impasse over a salary cap system the union has long resisted, with their collective bargaining agreement set to expire December 1. A lockout is possible if the two sides cannot bridge the gap, and neither has shown signs of yielding.
Trump's baseball commentary fits a broader pattern of sports engagement during his second term — from a March roundtable on college athletics to his presence at All-Star weekend, where Commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged that Trump was "interested" in the labor situation and possessed genuine knowledge of sports business. Whether that interest translates into direct involvement remains an open question.
Trump also used the post to criticize Manfred over Pete Rose, claiming the commissioner had privately promised to approve Rose's reinstatement but stalled until after Rose's death in 2024. Manfred did ultimately reinstate Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson last year, making both eligible for Hall of Fame consideration.
This is Trump's second prominent public push for Clemens in roughly a year, following a post last August in which he declared after a round of golf with the pitcher that Clemens "should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, NOW." Clemens' ten-year window with baseball writers closed in 2022 at 65.2% of the vote — meaningful support, but still short of the 75% required for election.
President Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to renew his push for Roger Clemens' induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, listing the pitcher's career statistics and accusing Hall of Fame voters of jealousy for keeping him out of Cooperstown. Trump cited Clemens' 354 wins, a record seven Cy Young Awards, and his appearance in three World Series—winning two of them—as evidence that the former Boston Red Sox pitcher belonged among baseball's immortals. "How about Roger Clemens not being in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, all because a bunch of jealous people with far less Talent, voted that he shouldn't be there," Trump wrote, also noting that Clemens was neither convicted nor admitted to using drugs.
The post came as Major League Baseball entered the final stretch of its regular season with labor negotiations between the league and the Players Association reportedly stalled. The two sides face a December 1 deadline to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, with a lockout possible if talks collapse. The fundamental disagreement centers on the league's push for a salary cap system—something the union has resisted, and neither side appeared willing to compromise on the issue.
Trump's intervention in baseball matters reflects a broader pattern of sports engagement during his second term. In March, he convened a roundtable on college sports that brought together conference leaders, former coaches, and media executives to discuss challenges posed by name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal. Last month, during MLB All-Star weekend, Commissioner Rob Manfred was asked whether Trump might get involved in the league's labor dispute. Manfred declined to speculate but acknowledged that Trump was "interested" and noted his deep knowledge of sports business.
Beyond the Clemens matter, Trump also used his post to criticize Manfred over Pete Rose's reinstatement. Trump claimed the commissioner had told him he would approve Rose's return but delayed the decision until after Rose's death in 2024. Last year, Manfred announced that Rose and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson would be reinstated, making both eligible for Hall of Fame consideration. Trump concluded his post by questioning baseball's overall health: "No wonder Baseball is in trouble!"
This marks Trump's second major public push for Clemens in a year. Almost exactly one year earlier, on August 24, Trump posted that he had played golf with Clemens and his son, Kacy, and declared that the pitcher "should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, NOW!" Clemens responded at the time, writing on X that he appreciated the support and noting that Trump "knows more than anyone the fake news that's out there."
Clemens' path to Cooperstown has been blocked despite his Hall of Fame credentials. His ten-year run on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot ended in 2022 when he received 65.2% of the vote—short of the 75% threshold required for election. The pitcher has remained a polarizing figure in Hall of Fame voting, with his career overshadowed by steroid-era questions, though he was never convicted or admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Citations marquantes
He's a great sports fan, and he is really knowledgeable about the business of sports, so it doesn't surprise me that he's interested in these matters.— MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, on Trump's engagement with baseball
I appreciate the love. Everyone has their agendas. I played the game to change my family's direction generationally and to WIN.— Roger Clemens, responding to Trump's Hall of Fame endorsement
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur Fox News ↗
Politics & Governance