**MLB Commissioner Admits Trump’s Influence on Pete Rose Reinstatement**

NEW YORK - In a recent statement, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged that President Donald Trump played a role in the decision to reinstate the late Pete Rose. Last month, Manfred removed Rose from MLB's permanently ineligible list, paving the way for his potential induction into the baseball Hall of Fame.

Manfred met with Trump in April in Washington, D.C., and during this discussion, Trump expressed his support for Rose's reinstatement. "The President was one of a number of voices that was supportive of the idea that this was the right decision," Manfred mentioned. He added, "Obviously, I have respect for the office and the advice that he gave. I paid attention to it. But I had a lot of other people that were weighing in on the topic as well."

In late February, President Trump publicly voiced his support for Rose through social media. On Truth Social, Trump stated his intent to sign a complete pardon for Rose, emphasizing that Rose only bet on his team to win and never against it. Trump highlighted Rose’s achievements, noting that he had the most hits in baseball history and had won more games than anyone else in sports.

Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in Major League Baseball history with 4,256 hits over a 24-season career, passed away at age 83 in September. Rose had been on MLB’s permanently ineligible list since 1989 due to betting on baseball. Manfred justified his decision by stating that, in death, Rose no longer posed any threat to the integrity of the game.