Malignant narcissist President Donald Trump wants to attend the NBA finals, claiming that he’s a long-time fan of the New York Knicks—who haven’t advanced to the finals since 1999—and that he wants to be there to watch their attempt to take home the trophy that’s evaded them for more than 50 years.
“I think I’ll be going to one of the games,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on May 27.
But the idea of Trump attending an NBA game is idiotic on multiple levels.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns shoots during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA playoffs on May 25.
First, the optics are abysmal. It would look incredibly out of touch for the president to attend an event where the cheapest tickets are several thousands of dollars—especially as the war that he started causes economic pain. It would also raise questions about how hard Trump is working to end the Iran war to alleviate some of that economic pain.
What’s more, an outing like this will cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for the Secret Service to secure the area and carry out enhanced screening. Using taxpayer money for fun while claiming that there’s not enough funding to help Americans afford healthcare or education is unlikely to be viewed favorably by the public.
But most of all, attending a Knicks game makes no sense given where the game is, and who Knicks fans are.
NBA players are more Democratic than any other U.S. professional sports league, and its fans skew younger and more diverse than fans of other leagues, like the NFL, MLB, and NHL.
Given that young and diverse Americans are decidedly not fans of Trump, it’s safe to assume that his presence at an NBA game would not be welcome.
And on top of all of that, the Knicks play at Madison Square Garden in New York City—where Trump’s approval rating is likely even lower than the 34% he notched among residents of the entire state—and the boos for Trump will likely shake the walls of the indoor arena.
Related | The NFL’s political power—and how Trump fumbled it
Looks like he’s unlikely to be met with an adoring crowd like the one he got at his Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden in 2024.
The first game is on June 3 in San Antonio, but Trump would have to wait at least until the third game to see them play in New York.
I guess we’ll just have to wait for the pleasure of seeing him get booed into oblivion.
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