Donald Trump was loudly booed as he arrived at Madison Square Garden (MSG). The jeers were a chilly homecoming for the president, who attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan. The hostile reception began early and did not let up.
Knicks fans booed Donald Trump as he arrived at MSG
As singer Avery Wilson performed “The Star Spangled Banner,” the first wave of boos towards Donald Trump rolled through the arena. Minutes later, just after 7.30 p.m., the president entered the building, and the crowd made its feelings plain once again.
Later, as the Jumbotron showed Donald Trump watching the NBA finals, the entire stadium booed till the moment he wasn’t shown anymore. He stopped waving soon after from the private box. Alongside him, his granddaughter, Kai Trump, daughter of Donald Trump Jr., was also seen.
However, that wasn’t the end, as Trump was again shown this time while clapping, and the crowd booed again.
Furthermore, White House pool reporters accompanying the motorcade reported “two middle fingers and one thumbs down” from bystanders on the approach to the Garden. Handmade signs dotted the crowd with messages including “Nobody wants you here,” “Trump must go,” and “Impeach. Convict. Remove.” Freedom News TV footage also captured sustained jeers as the presidential motorcade crept through Midtown Manhattan.
His presence transformed what was already a majorly celebrated sporting event into a major security operation. The Secret Service and the NYPD sealed off a ten-block perimeter around the arena, long revered as the “Mecca of Basketball.” Knicks fans who had gathered outside the Garden during earlier playoff rounds were prohibited from doing so, and streets around Penn Station closed at 4 p.m., snarling commuter traffic for hours.
Inside the venue, enhanced screening procedures forced ticket-holders to queue far longer than usual, with many paying thousands of dollars for the privilege. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani also secured a spot inside the arena, purchasing a standing-room-only ticket for roughly $1,000 and watching from a separate section.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory
