Donald Trump made history at Madison Square Garden on Monday night — and the Garden made clear exactly how it felt about it. The president became the first sitting president ever to attend an NBA Finals game when he settled into Knicks owner James Dolan‘s suite for Game 3 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. When he appeared on the video screens during the national anthem, the boos were immediate, loud, and sustained.
Trump was shown for several seconds giving a military salute. The crowd noise shifted when the American flag appeared on screen after him — the boos fading as fans instinctively held their response. When Knicks players were shown, the cheers were loud. Mentions of the San Antonio Spurs drew predictable boos of their own.
Trump arrived from his New Jersey home via Marine One, landing near Wall Street before a motorcade made its way through Manhattan to the arena approximately an hour before tipoff. He was met along the route by a handful of people making rude gestures, and a group outside the security perimeter held signs reading “Trump must go.” He joined Dolan’s suite alongside granddaughter Kai, personal adviser Boris Epshteyn, and Cabinet secretaries Lee Zeldin, Sean Duffy, and Doug Burgum.
A Security Operation That Transformed Midtown Manhattan
The logistics of a sitting president attending an event in the middle of one of the world’s most densely populated urban areas were considerable. The New York Police Department and US Secret Service set up a large perimeter surrounding Madison Square Garden hours before the game. Fans began queuing to enter the arena more than four hours before tipoff — a scene, by multiple accounts, that resembled New Year’s Eve in Times Square more than the usual approach to a basketball game.
Everyone entering the arena was required to pass through TSA-style magnetometers and show tickets or passes at multiple checkpoints. Secret Service personnel and police were stationed at every corner and throughout the surrounding blocks in large numbers. Daily commuters, tourists, and fans were all navigating the disruption at the same time.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the inconvenience but noted the arena was packed. “People listen,” he said. “They came early. They got through whatever extra security, which is necessary.” Both head coaches downplayed any concern about the disruption. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was direct about his perspective: “There’s a lot going on, and I’d much rather be a part of it than not.”
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Silver on Trump — and What Sports Is For
Speaking to broadcasters before tip-off, Silver placed Trump’s attendance in the context of a broader argument about what sport can do for a divided country. “What makes sports so special, especially when there’s so much that divides people, is it’s something that we have in common,” Silver said. “And we should look for those things that we have in common and build off that.”
Silver also vouched for Trump’s genuine connection to the league, noting that he appeared in an “I Love This Game” promotional spot for the NBA years ago and was a consistent presence at Knicks games and NBA Draft events at Madison Square Garden before entering politics. “He’s a genuine Knicks fan,” Silver said simply.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has been publicly critical of FIFA’s ticket pricing for the upcoming World Cup and recently launched a $50 ticket lottery for New York residents, was also among the dignitaries expected at the game — a notable contrast given his politics. The presence of both men in the same arena on the same night was itself a reflection of what Silver was describing: a moment where basketball created an unlikely common ground.
The Knicks enter Game 3 leading the series 2-0 and seeking their first NBA championship since 1973.
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