NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Ryan Thompson met with President Donald Trump at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week.
The pitcher shared a photo of himself and Trump and said it was an “incredible honor” to “meet the leader of the free world.”
“I will never forget the joy I felt waking up to the results in 2016. Ten years later, the best president of our lifetime is still fighting for the American people,” Thompson wrote in an X post on Tuesday. “Praying for continued favor upon [@POTUS] and our country. USA!”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ryan Thompson pitches against the Chicago White Sox at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 21, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump talked about a soon-to-be-released Pentagon study on UFOs and told the audience that it seemed like the right audience to hear about the study because Arizonans “really care.”
“I thought it was a good crowd because I know you. You’re really interested in it. I don’t know if I am,” the president told them.
The event was prior to the Diamondbacks’ game against the Toronto Blue Jays, which the D-Backs won 6-3. Thompson did not pitch in the game: Pak Gazette Digital reached out to the Diamondbacks to ask if Thompson arrived at the stadium for the game after the event, but did not immediately receive a response.
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryan Thompson throws against the Detroit Tigers at Chase Field on March 30, 2026. (Joe Rondone/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
CHRIS ‘MAD DOG’ RUSSO FACES ‘USA’ CHANTS WHILE SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER FACES BRITISH GOLFER IN PLAYOFF
Thompson has pitched in an MLB-high 14 games this season with a 4.66 ERA, allowing five earned runs in 9.2 innings pitched. All five runs came in each of his last two starts.
Thompson recently became engaged to Ryann McEnany, the sister of “Outnumbered” and “Saturday in America” host Kayleigh McEnany. Kayleigh is married to former MLB pitcher Sean Gilmartin.
As a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, Thompson was one of five players who removed a pride-themed logo from their jersey and opted not to wear the team’s pride-themed caps.
Erika Kirk joins President Donald Trump on stage during the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025. Turning Point USA, founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced a dollar-for-dollar match of the federal government’s $1,000 contribution to the “Trump Account” program for its employees. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
Jason Adam, a pitcher who was part of that group, said it was a “faith-based” decision.
