Donald Trump last filled Madison Square Garden in October 2024 with supporters who chanted his name for hours. Monday night brought him back to the arena as a guest at the NBA Finals, though the mood inside the building had little in common with his last visit.
Broadway star Avery Wilson was midway through the National Anthem when the Jumbotron showed Trump saluting in James Dolan’s suite. Boos rolled across the arena and continued through the rest of the anthem, coming through clearly on ABC’s national broadcast.
The reaction changed once Jalen Brunson appeared on the court, with the same crowd answering with loud cheers.
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Knicks fans BOO President Donald Trump during the National Anthem in Madison Square Garden.
We have never seen anything like this 😳pic.twitter.com/mNO4iial0h
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 9, 2026
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Monday’s game also marked the first NBA Finals appearance by a sitting president in league history, and entering Madison Square Garden came with its own complications. The Knicks had already warned fans that Trump’s attendance would bring tighter security measures and longer wait times.
The Knicks warning on X: “As we move closer to Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, fans should expect enhanced security measures when entering Madison Square Garden, including TSA-style screening procedures. Guests are strongly encouraged to arrive at least two hours before tip-off to allow additional time for screening and entry.”
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 6, 2026
Many still ended up waiting longer than that as the added security created longer lines outside the arena.
The changes also reached beyond the arena doors. The Secret Service and NYPD ruled out a planned watch party outside the Garden, leading New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who defeated the Trump-backed candidate in May’s mayoral election by 42 points, to organize a Bryant Park watch party as an alternative.
The reaction inside Madison Square Garden was also not entirely new. Trump heard a similar response during the US Open men’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in September 2025. The Jumbotron showed him during the anthem in nearly the same pose, and the crowd responded in much the same way.
On both occasions, Trump let a smirk cross his face while the crowd kept booing, a scene that has become increasingly familiar at New York sporting events.
There was also more surrounding the night than what was happening on the court. Several current Knicks players have publicly opposed Trump at different points, while Knicks owner James Dolan, whose relationship with the team’s fan base has remained contentious for years regardless of politics, extended the invitation. The Knicks entered Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs, giving the crowd plenty of reasons to be loud before the game even started.
Featured image via X screengrab
