President Donald Trump enthusiastically endorsed the potential congressional run of former Major League Baseball pitcher Curt Schilling on Tuesday, calling the idea “terrific.”
Schilling has been a supporter of Trump for years and was fired from his job as an analyst on ESPN in 2016 for sharing a transphobic meme on Facebook.
“Curt Schilling, a great pitcher and patriot, is considering a run for Congress in Arizona. Terrific! @foxandfriends” the president tweeted on Tuesday morning.
Curt Schilling, a great pitcher and patriot, is considering a run for Congress in Arizona. Terrific! @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2019
On Monday, Schilling told the Arizona Republic that he was “absolutely considering” running for Congress in Arizona. In a statement to the news outlet, he made it clear that immigration would be a central theme of any potential congressional run.
“The state is not the state I grew up in. Making Arizona citizens of EVERY Race, religion and sexual orientation 2nd class citizens to illegal immigrants is about as anti-American as it gets,” he told the newspaper. “When you have homeless veterans, children, and you’re spending tax dollars on people smuggling drugs and children across our border someone in charge needs their ass kicked.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has used Twitter to go to bat for the former pitcher.
In January, Trump said Schilling deserved to be in the sport’s Hall of Fame.
“Curt Schilling deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Great record, especially when under pressure and when it mattered most. Do what everyone in Baseball knows is right! @marklevinshow,” the president wrote.
Curt Schilling deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Great record, especially when under pressure and when it mattered most. Do what everyone in Baseball knows is right! @marklevinshow
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2019
The former pitcher responded:
“Thank you Mr President! Do NOT give in on any of it! We are behind you!” he wrote.
Thank you Mr President! Do NOT give in on any of it! We are behind you! https://t.co/dAazba6Gon
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 21, 2019
Schilling, who won the World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox, was fired from his job with ESPN in 2016 after he shared a transphobic meme on Facebook. He also has shared anti-Muslim comments on social media. Since then, Schilling has become a pariah, keeping him from the Hall of Fame.
The former MLB pitcher said that he was going to run against Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in 2016, but a few months later announced that he was backing a candidate running against her. Warren won her re-election bid.
Correction: This headline has been updated to reflect that Curt Schilling has not formally announced a run for Congress.
READ MORE:
- Petition calls for Joe Rogan to moderate a 2020 presidential debate
- Bill de Blasio eating a corndog exudes presidential, sexual energy
- Trump calls Hollywood the real ‘racist’
Got five minutes? We’d love to hear from you. Help shape our journalism and be entered to win an Amazon gift card by filling out our 2019 reader survey.
