President Donald Trump has presented a dubious rationale for his absence from the upcoming NBA Finals game following his appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday night.
US President Donald Trump with his grand daughter Kai Trump (L), Knicks owner James Dolan (3L), US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (3R) and Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin (2R) attend Game Three of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (AFP)
US President Donald Trump with his grand daughter Kai Trump (L), Knicks owner James Dolan (3L), US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (3R) and Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin (2R) attend Game Three of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (AFP)
The President, who will celebrate his 80th birthday on Sunday, attended the game where the New York Knicks suffered a loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the third match at Madison Square Garden. While Trump typically encounters a challenging audience in his predominantly liberal hometown, he further irritated New Yorkers by imposing a lockdown in the vicinity of the venue due to his presence.
Ticket holders were compelled to undergo security measures akin to those at airports in order to enter the game, while the vicinity surrounding the venue bore a striking resemblance to a war zone, with special agents and a multitude of police officers patrolling the streets. The spectacle generated by Trump's presence was mirrored in the reception he received inside.
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Trump faces boos and jeers
Supporters became visibly agitated, expressing their discontent through boos and jeers directed at the Republican leader as he appeared on the screen during the singing of the national anthem. Following an unplanned nap and a loss for the Knicks, Trump confronted the media and provided what seemed to be a strategically timed justification for his absence from the upcoming game in the series.
Will Trump attend NBA finals? ‘don’t…we’re busy’
The report from the White House press pool characterized the boos as "loud and long" and observed that the response “quickly changed to cheers when the camera quickly panned to [Knicks guard] Jalen Brunson on the court.”
"I don’t, uh, I don’t…we’re busy, uh, with a lot of important stuff right now at EPA," Lee Zeldin, Trump’s Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the unofficial spokesperson for the NBA playoffs, stumbled over his words when questioned by reporters about the president's attendance at the game in San Antonio on Thursday.
“Like a war,” Trump remarked, followed by a grin. He used this same rationale to avoid attending his own son’s wedding last month, instead opting for rounds of golf and a basketball game on Monday.
“There’s, there’s a lot of important stuff, uhh, going on,” Zeldin said.
Trump skipped son Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding due to ‘Iran thing’
Last month, Trump backed out of Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding to socialite Bettina Anderson. When questioned in the Oval Office about his attendance at the ceremony, Trump responded: “He’d like me to go… I’m going to try and make it. I said: ‘You know, this is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran…’ That’s one I can’t win on.”
He subsequently posted on Truth Social that he was unable to attend the wedding due to "circumstances pertaining to Government."
Fewer than seven days later, he engaged in golf at Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C., for two consecutive days.
Shweta Kukreti
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More
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