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President Donald Trump Smiles As Madison Square Garden Crowd Boos Him At NBA Finals Game

US president Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, was greeted with a cacophony of loud boos as he attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Attending as a guest of New York Knicks owner James Dolan, Trump grinned as the sell-out crowd jeered when he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem. The boos turned to cheers when the camera moved away from the saluting, still smiling, president to show the Knicks players lining up. Trump’s attendance—the first ever at the NBA Finals by a sitting president—had led to intense security restrictions and fans facing extra delays getting into the venue. But his presence wasn’t a lucky omen for the home fans, as San Antonio Spurs won 115-111 to claw back the series to 2-1 to the Knicks. Speaking to reporters later, Trump said of the incident, “It was, I think, mostly cheers. It was loud and it was very enthusiastic.”

Released on 06/09/2026

Transcript

[crowd clamoring] [musician singing]

[crowd clamoring continues]

[crowd clamoring continues]