NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Donald Trump was booed loudly by fans inside Madison Square Garden when he was shown on video screens during the national anthem as he became the first sitting president to attend an
Chants of 鈥淯-S-A! U-S-A!鈥� echoed through the arena as Avery Wilson sang 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner,” but they they gave way to boos moments later as Trump was displayed on the jumbo screens giving a military salute. The jeers ended when the U.S. flag followed him on the screens, and fans cheered when New York Knicks players were shown. Mentions of the San Antonio Spurs also elicited vociferous boos.
The president was unfazed. 鈥淚t was, I think, mostly cheers,鈥� he told reporters after the game before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington. 鈥淚t was loud, and it was very enthusiastic.鈥�
Trump watched Game 3 from Knicks owner James Dolan鈥檚 suite, along with granddaughter Kai, personal adviser Boris Epshteyn and Cabinet secretaries Lee Zeldin, Sean Duffy and Doug Burgum. He sat next to Dolan for the first quarter and spent part of the second talking to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Blakeman.
Trump鈥檚 Marine One helicopter flew from his home in New Jersey and landed near Wall Street before his motorcade made its way up through Manhattan and to the arena roughly an hour before tipoff. He encountered a handful of people making rude gestures, and outside the area, one group held signs saying 鈥淭rump must go.鈥�
He settled into Dolan’s suite shortly afterward.
During the afternoon before Trump’s arrival, the New York Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service set up a large perimeter surrounding Fans lined up to get inside the arena more than four hours before tipoff, in a scene more closely resembling New Year鈥檚 Eve in Times Square than the usual leadup to a basketball game.
They were required to provide a ticket or pass to get past various checkpoints, along with going through a Transportation Security Administration-style magnetometer. Secret Service personnel and police were positioned at every corner and in large numbers. Daily commuters, tourists visiting Manhattan and fans were all confounded at various times as they tried to maneuver the security.
New Yorkers forced to adjust
After traveling from his home in Florida for the game, Knicks fan Greg Weldon said the main inconvenience faced so far has been the lack of information.
鈥淲e鈥檝e asked so many cops, secret service, guys with machine guns, what to do, where should we go,鈥� he said. 鈥淣obody knows.鈥�
Knicks coach Mike Brown and Spurs counterpart Mitch Johnson downplayed any concept of being inconvenienced by the closures and enhanced security because of Trump.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot going on, and I鈥檇 much rather be a part of it than not,鈥� Johnson said.
With security stepped up, a was canceled, and ticket-holders were not allowed to bring bags inside the Garden. Fans had gathered near the arena to watch games during this playoff run, during which the Knicks have won 13 games in a row to reach the final for the first time since 1999 and from their first NBA title since 1973.
鈥淲e are looking forward to bringing back watch parties for Game 4,鈥� Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Monday. “But I think New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that that generally means lockdowns of areas and that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e going to see tonight at the Garden.鈥�
The Knicks鈥� streak was broken Monday night, with the Spurs winning 115-111. Game 4 will be played Wednesday night at the Garden.
Incidents heighten attention to Trump’s security
This is the latest major sporting event Trump has attended during his time as president, and the security measures have created major hassles for fans.
Thousands of fans of last year鈥檚 U.S. Open men鈥檚 singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner because of lengthy security lines. Even though the U.S. Tennis Association pushed back the start of the match by a half-hour, many fans still couldn鈥檛 get in because added measures meant that they had to go through screening not only when they arrived at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center but again in front of the steps into Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Trump watched from a suite.
Federal law enforcement officials have been reexamining Trump鈥檚 security in light of three incidents in the past two years: a shooting at a 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania; the discovery of a man armed with a rifle as Trump played golf in West Palm Beach, Florida, later that year; and the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents鈥� Association dinner.
Asked Sunday his thoughts on Trump attending, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson said: 鈥淐ool, I guess. We can still get out there and play (no matter) who鈥檚 here and who鈥檚 not.鈥�
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other dignitaries were also at the game, as were Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning of the Giants.
It was already hard enough for Knicks fans to get inside Madison Square Garden because of astronomical ticket prices. is higher than the average cost of monthly rent in New York, surging over $5,000.
The best seats were listed for tens of thousands of dollars. Mamdani said he bought his ticket, which he said was standing-room-only, for about $1,000 directly from Madison Square Garden.
The difficulty of seeing the game in-person has prompted fans to crowd bars, streets and watch parties all over the city. The watch party near the Garden has become a major event all through the playoffs, but with Trump attending, that event was moved a few blocks away outside the security perimeter, at Bryant Park.
鈥淲e improvise,鈥� said Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, who is a New York native. “We’re New Yorkers. We鈥檙e going to find a way to watch a game, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e doing.鈥�
___
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.
___
AP NBA:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
