Did Donald Trump get booed by Knicks fans in front of a packed Madison Square Garden crowd during the NBA Finals?

President Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game on Monday night, and Madison Square Garden let him know exactly how it felt about that. As Broadway star Avery Wilson performed the national anthem, the camera cut to Trump in his suite and MSG erupted into boos. The reception set an unmistakable tone for the evening. The boos turned to cheers the moment the Jumbotron shifted to Knicks star Jalen Brunson standing on the court. New York had made its choice clear before tip-off. Trump attended at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan, a longtime friend and significant donor to his presidential campaigns. But the politics of it ran deeper than one friendship. His motorcade passed signs reading "Nobody wants you here" and "Trump must go" as it moved up the FDR Drive toward the Garden. People lining the street booed as it pulled up.Inside, fans who had paid a small fortune to be there had already dealt with the consequences of his visit. Trump's attendance caused waits of two hours or more for ticket-holding fans to clear security screening. The watch parties that had become a staple of this Knicks playoff run drawing thousands outside MSG were shut down entirely by the NYPD and Secret Service due to the heightened security requirements. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, also present at the game after purchasing a standing room ticket for around $1,000, moved quickly to find alternatives. Watch parties were relocated to Bryant Park, Central Park's Wollman Rink, and Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the outdoor gatherings outside the Garden would resume for Game 4 on Wednesday. Democratic lawmakers were sharply critical. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, arriving in a Knicks cap, told reporters: "Knicks fans just want to enjoy Game 3. It's not clear to me that Donald Trump is a big Knicks fan … He's just injecting himself into the NBA finals because he always has to bring the MAGA circus into town." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the president's attendance "a vibe killer" that stripped the city of something it genuinely loved.Players from both teams were asked about the situation ahead of the game. Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox said the presidential visit "just makes it inconvenient on everyone else," pointing to the added security steps his own team had to navigate. Trump, for his part, was enthusiastic about the matchup. Aboard Air Force One last week, he praised Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns as "fantastic" and called Spurs center Victor Wembanyama someone who "looks like he's going to be a great player." The White House framed the visit as that of a lifelong fan watching a historic moment -- the Knicks are two wins away from their first championship since 1973.This isn't the first time Trump has been booed at a major sporting event. At the U.S. Open in late 2025, the crowd at Queens reacted similarly and when he heard the reaction, he reportedly offered a smirk, which briefly made the boos louder. VarietyWhether New York's response rattled him or not, the Knicks had a championship to chase.