President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday night, drawing loud boos from the crowd before the matchup between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. Trump appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem while seated in owner James Dolan’s suite, and the reaction from fans quickly turned hostile. When the focus shifted to Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who was shown standing on the court, the crowd response changed to cheers.
Trump’s presence at the arena prompted major security measures that delayed entry for ticket-holding fans by two hours or more. He became the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. His motorcade traveled through Manhattan past protest signs reading “Nobody wants you here,” “Trump must go,” and “Impeach. Convict. Remove.” As the motorcade arrived at the Garden, some people on the street booed while others waved American flags.
The president was joined in the suite by his granddaughter Kai Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Walt Nauta. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sat courtside. Other attendees included New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, film director Spike Lee, actor Ben Stiller, actor Timothée Chalamet, and “Law & Order” stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni.
Trump, a native of Queens and former Manhattan real estate developer, remains deeply unpopular in New York City, which voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. His decision to attend the game was criticized by some Knicks fans and Democratic leaders, who said his presence could distract from the team’s historic playoff run. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioned why Trump would “ruin a good thing,” arguing that the Knicks’ long-awaited Finals appearance should have been a unifying moment for the city.
Still, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Trump was welcome at the event, calling sports a rare source of common ground in a divided country. Silver later visited Dolan’s suite and was seen speaking with the president during the game. The Knicks entered Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead over the Spurs and were seeking to continue their strong playoff performance in hopes of winning their first NBA title since 1973.
