For many New Yorkers, Monday night was a preordained one for the books. The N.Y. Knicks was playing its first NBA finals in 27 years; fans were riding the high of the team’s historic 13-game win streak; and lucky charm Timothée Chalamet—alongside other celebrities and retired athletes—came ready to see players sail into another W. Of course, it only took some guy from Queens to ruin it all.
Yes, the New York native (albeit Florida-obsessed) Trump decided to grace Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday with his mostly unwelcome presence—and became the first sitting president to watch a NBA finals game. Notably, his attendance ruined every neighborhood watch party—including the biggest one, planned for outside MSG—in the process. His attendance also brought with it the need for heightened security measures and screenings, and on Saturday, the Knicks told fans to arrive at the arena hours in advance so they could go through “TSA-style screening.” All this was just one more reason why, when Trump was featured on the Jumbotron, he was met with a chorus of boos.
pic.twitter.com/YYKb63OGhm
— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) June 9, 2026
The jeers abruptly abounded as the screen switched from Avery Wilson singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” to Trump holding up a military salute—a devastating and hilarious metaphor for the president’s plunging approval ratings. Fans turned to cheers once the Jumbotron cut to Jalen Brunson.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Trump was asked what he thought of the reception he received when he replied “very good.” “It was certainly amazing. I think mostly cheers. It was loud. And it was very enthusiastic.”
Enthusiastic, indeed. Not even the rival team, the San Antonio Spurs, received the same ire.
They cancelled the watch party and screwed over all of the bars and businesses in the area just so he could get booed fall asleep in a luxury box. pic.twitter.com/g7nxsSEZsJ
— Melanie D’Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) June 9, 2026
This marks the latest of many times Trump has been booed at a sporting event—something that’s become commonplace during his second term. And maybe it’s because he was heckled into oblivion or because he was staying up too late rampaging across Truth Social, he appeared to fall asleep during the game. Can’t wait to see how State Secretary Marco Rubio spins this one!
And, clearly, the president was as much of a good luck charm to the Knicks as a fork is to a toaster—because after crashing a game, getting booed at it, and then falling asleep, the Knicks lost their win streak—and lost to the Spurs, 115-111. Thanks, Trump.