Trump asked ex-Yankee Alex Rodriguez for coronavirus advice: report

President Trump reportedly reached out to former New York Yankees player and current MLB analyst Alex Rodriguez for his thoughts on the administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“During marathon day of meetings earlier this week, President Trump continued outreach across the country regarding coronavirus & phoned former Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez,” ABC senior editorial producer John Santucci tweeted Friday. “Multiple sources tell ABC, the president spoke to ARod from the Oval Office.”

On Saturday, Trump fired back, tweeting, “More Fake News!” in response to the ABC report.

Santucci said a source in contact with Rodriguez told ABC the call with Trump was “pleasant” and said the president was seeking Rodriguez’s thoughts about the coronavirus response.

A source close to Rodriguez told @ABC the call with Trump was “pleasant” adding that Trump was seeking thoughts from ARod about the coronavirus response. Sources say there was no discussion of AROD or his fiancé Jennifer Lopez taking on any official effort.

— John Santucci (@Santucci) March 28, 2020

The ABC source added that there was no discussion about whether Rodriguez or his fiancée, Jennifer Lopez, would take on an official effort against the virus.

Several years ago, Trump tweeted at Rodriguez, calling him a “druggie” and suggesting that the Yankees should “Immediately stop paying A-Rod.”

The @Yankees should immediately stop paying A-Rod—he signed his contract without telling them he was a druggie.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2013

Rodriguez was suspended for 12 months in 2014 following his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal. Currently, he works as a studio analyst for Fox Sports MLB and is the color commentator on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.”