President Donald Trump was there to see his New York Knicks play their first home NBA Finals game since 1999 on Monday, June 8, watching Game 3 live at Madison Square Garden.
According to a report from The Associated PressTrump, 79, flew from his home in New Jersey to somewhere near Wall Street in his Marine One helicopter before he and his motorcade made their way through Manhattan. Trump, who was accompanied by his grandson Kai Trump among others, they arrived shortly before receiving the report, and the president was seen in his team cheering on the Knicks as they prepared to face the San Antonio Spurs.
This is the first time a sitting US president has attended an NBA Finals game. His presence in the evening was met with mixed reactions: boos were heard from the stands when the broadcast cut to Trump's program during the national anthem, which was sung by. Avery Wilson.
Since the Knicks have advanced to the NBA Playoffs, they have made headlines off the court for their cheap MSG-free watch parties and high ticket prices for those lucky enough to get inside.
With more security surrounding Trump's Game 3 attendance, the outdoor viewing party was canceled amid much public outcry. Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani he later announced that Bryant Park would instead host up to 5,000 New Yorkers to watch the game.
As the controversy surrounds the arrival of Trump, he is a staunch activist Ann Coulter was placed on him by X, calling the decision “selfish” and “narcissistic.”
“20,000 guests will be VERY inconvenienced with all the extra security, the Knicks Watch Party at the Garden is canceled, thousands of police (paid for by taxpayers) will be needed, traffic will be a disaster – all so he can sit at the Garden rather than watch the game on TV,” Coulter, 64, wrote on Sunday, June 7.
He added, “Presidents have to be willing to sacrifice themselves once in a while.”
Ironically, while Trump faces criticism from his side of the isle, a longtime Trump detractor Whoopi Goldberg protected him on Monday's episode Watching.
“I think anyone who is a Knicks fan should be there,” he said. “You've earned the right as a Knicks fan. I don't have to like you.”
Goldberg, 70, said the same to Mamdani, 34, who bought a ticket to enter the game.
“I'm sorry. Trump and Mayor Mamdani are Knicks fans and they were New York fans,” he said. “And … there is nothing that even one of them can do to change what is happening in this city to this group.”
Trump, on the other hand, did not apologize for attending the game or for his supporters to sell tickets. After being told last week that the price for Game 3 was more than $8,000, he told reporters, “You can watch it on TV.”
“It's an uncomfortable thing to watch on television,” Trump said. “That's life… If the team wasn't a huge success, the tickets would go easily… but that's life.”
