Johnny Damon nonetheless remembers when he first met Donald Trump. However simply as a lot, Damon remembers how sure folks have handled him for being mates with Trump.
“Sadly, everytime you say you’re mates with Donald Trump, we now have lots of people who simply cannot perceive that,” Damon advised Fox Information Digital in an unique interview.
The previous MLB star met Trump throughout his time with the New York Yankees, and met him immediately via the group. After Damon left the Boston Pink Sox for the Yankees in December 2005, Trump, who was then a New York Metropolis businessman and actuality TV star, invited the baseball star to play golf in Mar-a-Lago. They had been joined by former New York Mets captain David Wright on the inexperienced.
And when Trump discovered that Damon was coming to New York to play for the Yankees, a staff Trump had been well-connected to over time, he made a pitch to Damon to maneuver into certainly one of his buildings. However Damon had already moved into a spot within the Bloomberg Constructing.
Ten years later, Trump could have gotten his revenge on Damon for not shopping for a spot in his constructing. In 2015, Damon appeared within the seventh season of “Celeb Apprentice,” the place Trump fired Damon within the sixth episode for writing a nasty product jingle.
However none of that stopped the 2 from turning into shut mates. For Damon, that friendship blossomed into staunch political assist. It was a stage of assist that Damon needed to be ready to defend himself over.
“We’ve simply been actually good mates, and I’m glad that he’s again in workplace and I’m glad we now have anyone who’s going to be on the market, anyone who’s going to reply questions, anyone who’s going to do the work to make America nice once more,” Damon stated.
“Sadly, this final administration, we are able to’t see something optimistic that they’ve completed, and hopefully, Donald Trump doesn’t get any backlash for something he’s doing as a result of he’s already completed greater than what President Biden has completed in his 4 years and Trump’s not even in workplace proper now. So I’m very, very completely satisfied my good friend is again in workplace.”
Damon is aware of concerning the backlash to Trump as a result of he has been on the receiving finish of it too.
Damon famously endorsed Trump in 2016, and even spoke at certainly one of his rallies in Orlando that November, igniting backlash from left-leaning baseball followers on social media on the time.
“I disowned him when he offered his soul to the satan (Go Sox). Is there a option to double-disown him?” one disgruntled Boston Pink Sox fan wrote on X (then often known as Twitter) in a 2016 response to footage of Damon on the rally.
One other person insulted Damon’s intelligence, writing, “Silly is as silly does. Nobody stated he was sensible,” in response to the 2016 footage.
However after Trump gained in 2016, Damon’s loyalty amid the backlash paid off with an opportunity to launch a profession in politics.
In December 2020, Trump appointed Damon to serve on the President’s Council on Sports activities, Health, and Diet. Damon joined fellow Yankees World Collection champion Mariano Rivera, former Ohio State coach City Meyer, UFC fighter Colby Covington and NFL Corridor of Famer Troy Vincent.
The appointment impressed Damon to think about a future in politics, however that ended after a run-in with police.
In February 2021, Damon was arrested in Florida for a DUI. Leaked bodycam footage of his arrest confirmed a drunk Damon claiming that he was being focused for supporting Trump. It got here only a month after Jan. 6.
“Hey, bro, I’m a very good f—ing man. I do know individuals are attempting to focus on me as a result of I’m a Trump supporter,” Damon advised a police officer within the video. The officer stated Damon’s assist for Trump had nothing to do with the arrest, to which Damon responded, “Yeah… it does.”
Damon, who has beforehand needed to cope with backlash for supporting Trump, advised Fox Information Digital that he had three beers earlier than he bought within the automotive, and his thoughts was on politics the entire night time.
“I used to be on the point of run for politics, and fascinated with it critically, after which I get pulled over,” Damon stated, including that he disagreed with what the police officer’s breathalyzer check stated about his blood alcohol stage.
“Sadly, folks wish to go after nice residents, and on the finish of the day I’m going to proceed to be who I’m.”
Police reported that Damon had a blood-alcohol content material of 0.30% – greater than triple the authorized restrict in Florida. He was additionally charged with resisting arrest with out violence. His spouse, Michelle Mangan-Damon, was charged with battery on a law-enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.
Damon acknowledges that he made a “silly” choice driving that night time after consuming. However he believes at this level in his life he has overcome it by doing charity work and is now dedicated to elevating his youngsters.
Nonetheless, Damon’s assist and fondness for Trump isn’t going anyplace, it doesn’t matter what anybody’s response to it’s.
“I’m going to proceed to be mates with him,” Damon stated. “And I assist my mates via the thick and skinny, the nice and the unhealthy, in order that’s who I’m and that’s who I’m going to proceed to be.”
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