President Donald Trump showed up at the Yankees game Thursday night, which happened to fall on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Reportedly, earlier in the day, he had taken part in a remembrance ceremony at the Pentagon. However, what caught everyone’s eye was Trump’s visit to the Yankees’ locker room. Before the first pitch, Trump stopped by the Yankees’ clubhouse, shaking hands with Aaron Judge, manager Aaron Boone, and a few other staff and players.

The players were wearing special FDNY and NYPD hats to honor 9/11 first responders. President Trump went on to revisit his memories with the Yankees. He reminded the players that he was close friends with the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. But what really caught everyone’s attention, and quickly went viral, was a moment during his locker room remarks. Notably, he couldn’t resist cracking a joke at the expense of the Red Sox and their White House visit!

“Randy was telling me the Boston Red Sox came to the Oval Office. They wanted to come. What am I gonna 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,” Trump said to the Yankees’ locker room.

Apparently, the Red Sox had made their own White House trip back in July while they were in D.C. for their series against the Nationals. A video shared by a Trump staffer showed several players meeting him in the Oval Office. So, when Trump got his chance in the Yankees’ clubhouse, he couldn’t resist bringing it up. The POTUS even cracked a joke, citing Yankees president Randy Levine, that the Red Sox wanted that White House visit because they were on a hot streak.

Well, the President may be indirectly firing up the Yankees’ roster to go on a streak of their own. He further told the team, “You’re going to win. You’re going to go all the way,” and reminded them that whenever he attended games with George Steinbrenner in the past, the Yankees always came out on top. Now the question is, will Trump’s pep talk actually light a spark for the Yankees?

The Yankees manager shared what the POTUS’s visit means for the team

While fans were left wondering if the President’s pep talk would have any real effect on the Yankees, manager Aaron Boone sounded genuinely upbeat about the moment. Reportedly, before the president even entered the clubhouse, Boone was extremely excited. He said, “The fact that he’s gonna be here, it’s something that I’m excited to be a part of.” So, that kind of energy suggested the team was not only curious but eager to meet him. And that created a lot of buzz in the locker room.

And maybe that’s exactly what the Yankees needed. The Yankees are coming off back-to-back tough losses against the Tigers, a skid that has fans frustrated. So, the timing of a high-profile visit could shift the mood. Sometimes it doesn’t take much more than a jolt of motivation, a reminder of pride, or even just breaking up the routine to help a team reset.

So, if the President’s words sparked even a little extra belief, that could be enough to help the Yankees shake off their slump. And after a rough stretch, this visit might just serve as the spark for a turnaround. Let’s now wait and watch how it goes!