Donald Trump was met with boos this Monday at Madison Square Garden in New York when his image appeared on the giant screen during the national anthem performance at the third game of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the Spurs.
The president thus became the first sitting president of the United States to attend an NBA Finals, at the invitation of James Dolan, owner of the New York Knicks and a long-time friend of the president.
Booing outnumbered the applause
The reaction of the New York audience was overwhelming.
According to the EFE agency, present in the pavilion, "the booing at Madison Square Garden was notable, clearly surpassing the applause from a minority of fans."
The booing was even more intense than what the San Antonio Spurs received when they took the court.
According to CNN, “a shot of the president on the Jumbotron during the anthem generated tremendous boos, and little other reaction from the New York audience.”
Before the anthem, there were brief chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!," but that patriotic fervor did not extend to greeting the president.
As soon as the ceremony concluded, the crowd began to chant “Go, Knicks!” again.
The cameras showed Trump in his box, smiling and saluting military style.
Far from being bothered, the president described the experience as "incredible."
An unprecedented security operation
Trump's visit necessitated the deployment of a high-level security operation around the stadium, in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.
The police closed 10 blocks around Madison Square Garden, the usual outdoor fan zone was canceled, and fans were required to arrive two to three hours early and without backpacks to undergo security checks similar to those at an airport.
The president was accompanied in the box by his granddaughter Kai Trump, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and other officials from his administration.
The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, also attended, but in a different section of the stadium, having purchased a standing ticket for around 1,000 dollars.
"The blame is on Trump": the Knicks lose and social media erupts
The sports result did not help the atmosphere. The Spurs won Game 3 by 115-111, with Victor Wembanyama as the standout player, scoring 32 points, ending the 13-game winning streak of the Knicks and leaving the series 2-1 in favor of New York.
It was the first home game for the Knicks in the Finals since 1999, and the team hasn't won the championship since 1973. The defeat sparked a wave of humor on social media.
The critic Ron Filipkowski wrote on Threads: "The Knicks had won 13 consecutive games. An epic winning streak. And then Donald Trump showed up."
The comedian Tony Baker was more direct: “The Knicks lost because of Trump. Prove me wrong.”
Videos also circulated showing Trump apparently falling asleep during the game, which further fueled the mockery.
A history of booing in stadiums
This is not the first time Trump has received this kind of reception at a sporting event.
The most remembered incident occurred in October 2019, when he was booed at Nationals Park in Washington during Game 5 of the World Series, with chants of "Lock him up!"
Since his return to power in 2025, Trump has become a frequent attendee at major sporting events.
He has attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans—being the first sitting president to do so—the Daytona 500, the Ryder Cup, and the U.S. Open tennis final, among others.
Game 4 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for this Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks still leading the series.
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