'Don't know what the hell that means': Trump gets stumped by his speech text

President Donald Trump on Thursday hosted the World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, at the White House on the team’s second trip in two years. The President saluted the team in his newly opened Rose Garden, and he made sure to let them know what great additions he made. While Trump was thorough about praising his projects, he seemed to be unprepared for his speech, as at one point he admitted that he didn't know "what the hell" he was reading. 

Trump feted the champions for 25 minutes in an outdoor ceremony in a Rose Garden that he insisted was far superior after his renovations. Further into his speech, he talked about the great season that the team played and everything they endured to bring it home. "This group started their title defense with nine pitchers injured before the first fastball was ever thrown. They played their opening game in Tokyo and traveled more than 2,000 miles. It's more than any team has ever traveled," the President said, reading from his prepared text. "In fact, from the first pitch to the final out, they endured and triumphed through the longest season of any team in the history of Major League Baseball: 229 days. I didn't know that. Did you know that? That's a pretty crazy fact," he went on to add.

He then candidly admitted that he had no idea what he was talking about and that he had never read the text before. "I mean, it's not the kind of fact you think about. What is it going to be, a half a day longer or something? I don't know. That's a different kind of fact, Mark, than I ever heard of. But that's what they give me to read, so what can I tell you? The longest season ever, 229 days. I don't know what the hell that means," he said.

While the remarks went viral on social media, the President brushed it off and went ahead with the event. Standing behind Trump during the traditional trip was the owner of the team, Mark Walter, and Manager Dave Roberts, who walked out of the Oval Office alongside him to "Hail to the Chief" played over the loudspeakers. A crowd full of staffers, politicians and other well-wishers wore Dodger blue caps, as the two World Series trophies rested on a table, along with a "Trump 47" Dodgers jersey which was later presented to the president. The Dodgers also gave Trump what looked like a replica of a World Series ring, which prompted Trump to exclaim: "Wow. Do I have to report this? I don't want to report this," before slipping it right into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

Trump also feted the team's star players Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman while calling the team "one of the great brands anywhere in the world." He said he was the most excited about meeting Ohtani, whom he compared at length to the legendary Babe Ruth, claiming that arguably the Dodgers star is the best hitter and pitcher in baseball.