On Monday night, United States President Donald Trump made history as the first sitting president ever to attend the NBA Finals as he watched the Game 3 showdown between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
Unfortunately for Trump, he did not receive a warm welcome, as he was loudly booed by the crowd. However, that apparently is not the way he perceived the reception.
After the game, which the Spurs won by a final score of 115-111, Trump spoke to reporters briefly outside of Air Force One. During the interview, Trump claimed that he got a “very good” reception from the crowd that was “mostly cheers.”
Trump Booed at Game 3
Trump, a longtime New Yorker, decided to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Madison Square Garden after receiving an invitation from Knicks team owner James Dolan. However, his presence at the game caused all sorts of issues as the Secret Service bolstered security for the event. Even the players were impacted by the additional security.
After the soaring ticket prices and delays entering the arena, the fans eventually filled Madison Square Garden before the pregame festivities. And during the playing of the national anthem before the game, they gave Trump a not-so-warm welcome.
Trump, shown on camera during the national anthem, is booed loudly at MSG pic.twitter.com/NkWE4xsE2Z
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 9, 2026
When Trump was shown on the video board during the national anthem, he was showered with boos from the crowd. The boos were so loud that they could even be heard through the television broadcast.
Trump Said it Was ‘Mostly Cheers’
After the game, Trump spoke to reporters briefly before boarding Air Force One. During the interview, the president was asked about the reception from the crowd.
Despite the loud and obvious boos, Trump claimed that he received an “amazing” reception from the New York crowd.
“I think great,” Trump said of the crowd’s reaction. “I thought it was amazing, actually.”
Trump claimed that he received “mostly cheers” from the crowd at the game.
“I thought it was very good,” Trump said. “It was certainly amazing. I think mostly cheers. It was loud. And it was very enthusiastic.”
Trump stayed throughout the game, watching the Knicks as they fell 115-111, snapping their 13-game winning streak.