NEW YORK — U.S. President Donald Trump was booed by portions of the crowd at Madison Square Garden on Monday night when he became the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.
Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs as a guest of Knicks owner James Dolan, according to multiple reports. He was shown on the arena's video screens during the national anthem, prompting loud boos from sections of the audience.
Chants of "U-S-A" were heard initially as the anthem played, but they were followed by jeers when Trump appeared on the jumbotron while saluting, outlets including the BBC and PBS reported. The boos subsided when images shifted to the U.S. flag and Knicks players.
Trump, a longtime Knicks supporter, watched the game from a suite. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 115-111, narrowing New York's series lead to 2-1, according to official NBA results.
The appearance marked a historic moment for the league, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commenting on the significance of the president's attendance. "He's welcome to be here," Silver said in pregame coverage reported by multiple outlets. "I think that’s what makes sports so special."
Trump later described the reception as consisting of "mostly cheers," characterizing the atmosphere as "loud" and "enthusiastic," according to statements reported by the BBC and other media.
Security was heightened at the arena, with additional measures including checkpoints, as Trump attended the Knicks' first home Finals game since 1999, officials said. The event drew significant attention amid the ongoing series.
The mixed reaction reflected the partisan divides in New York, a city where Trump has long had both supporters and critics. Similar responses have occurred at other sporting events he has attended in the past, reports noted.
As of Tuesday, no further official statements had been issued by the White House regarding the crowd's reaction. The NBA Finals continue with Game 4 scheduled for Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Officials said the game proceeded without major incidents beyond the initial crowd response during the pregame ceremonies. Full attendance figures and detailed security assessments remained unavailable immediately after the event.
