The president responded after attendees booed him as he attended the Knicks vs. Spurs matchup inside Madison Square Garden.

Donald Trump reacts to New York Knicks fans loudly booing him in the room at NBA Finals

The president responded after attendees booed him as he attended the Knicks vs. Spurs matchup inside Madison Square Garden.

Joey Nolfi

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June 9, 2026 10:55 a.m. ET

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Donald Trump at NBA Finals; New York Knicks play San Antonio Spurs. Credit:

Samuel Corum/Getty; Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty

- Donald Trump reacted after he was booed at Madison Square Garden.

- New York Knicks fans collectively responded to his attendance at the NBA Finals game.

- Trump was later asked about "the reception" he got at the arena.

Donald Trump apparently heard a chorus of cheers amid a cacophony of boos during his Monday night visit to the NBA Finals in New York City.

Video captured at the event showed the president in attendance at the Madison Square Garden arena, where the New York Knicks squared off against the San Antonio Spurs in a high-profile basketball matchup.

After the camera cut to him, fans were heard loudly booing for several seconds, with Trump eventually responding in a post-game press conference with reporters.**

When one journalist asked about "the reception you got from the Knicks fans tonight," Trump said he thought it was "great," and "amazing, actually," despite being booed by many in the room.

"You mean when they had the camera on me?" Trump asked as he fumbled over his words. "I thought it was very good, yeah. It was certainly amazing."

He clarified his stance, adding that "it was mostly cheers" celebrating his presence. "It was loud and it was very enthusiastic," Trump observed.

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TV cameras showed the president saluting during a rendition of the national anthem, which was somewhat drowned out by the volume of boos sounding throughout the venue.

Trump was shown standing next to his grandchild, Kai Trump, the daughter of Vanessa Trump and an athlete herself.

Trump was also positioned near Knicks owner James Dolan at the event, which ended with the Spurs winning with a score of 115-111.**

The president also courted speculation that he fell asleep during the game, with clips circulating online that appeared to show him closing his eyes for an extended period of time amid the competition.

Donald Trump attends New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.

The matchup marked the third in the Knicks' ongoing historic run through the NBA Finals, as they haven't advanced this far in nearly 30 years.

Celebrities and politicians alike have celebrated the development, including Whoopi Goldberg, who previously walked out to set on *The View* while holding a broom to symbolize the Knicks sweeping a prior round of competition.

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New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, also attended the NBA Finals and revealed that he paid around $1,000 for his ticket to attend.

Watch Trump address being booed inside Madison Square Garden in CNN's video above.

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Source: “EW Sports”