The New York Yankees may have their issues, but baseball itself grabbed headlines after Donald Trump called out Cooperstown’s biggest omission.
Trump, who recently golfed with former Yankee great Roger Clemens, made it clear he believes the seven-time Cy Young winner deserves enshrinement.
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Roger Clemens’ case for Cooperstown
Clemens’ résumé speaks for itself. He won 354 games, appeared in 11 All-Star Games, and earned two World Series rings.
His dominance on the mound was unmatched. Only Nolan Ryan recorded more strikeouts, and Clemens redefined what a modern power pitcher looked like.
Trump reminded fans of those numbers, claiming the long-standing steroid rumors unfairly overshadow what was a Hall-worthy career.
Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The steroid-era shadow
Clemens was one of the era’s most polarizing figures, repeatedly linked to performance-enhancing drugs despite never failing a test.
In his social media post, Trump argued Clemens denied those accusations from the start and never had proven violations.
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That, Trump says, should be enough to recognize his career without attaching the “druggie” stigma that’s followed him for decades.
Trump’s full defense of Clemens
“I played Golf yesterday with the Great Roger Clemens and his son, Kacy,” Trump wrote in his online statement.
“Roger Clemens was easily one of the few Greatest Pitchers of All Time, winning 354 Games, the Cy Young Award seven times.
He was second to Nolan Ryan in most strike-outs, and he should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, NOW!”
Trump continued, “People think he took drugs, but nothing was proven. He never tested positive, and Roger totally denies it.”
Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
A comparison to Pete Rose
Trump also compared Clemens’ situation to Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, who remains banned for gambling on baseball.
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“This is going to be like Pete Rose… We are not going to let that happen in the case of Roger Clemens.”
Rose, as Trump pointed out, was only reconsidered for Cooperstown posthumously, something he doesn’t want repeated with Clemens.
Why the push matters now
At 79 years old, Trump remains a powerful cultural voice, and his public backing keeps Clemens’ Hall debate alive.
Clemens has aged into a sympathetic figure for some, a legend blocked from Cooperstown despite numbers that demand recognition.
For the Hall of Fame, the question remains whether steroid-era suspicion should outweigh one of the most dominant careers ever pitched.
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And for Clemens himself, support from a former president may not guarantee induction — but it certainly keeps the spotlight burning.
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