Donald Trump drew loud boos at Madison Square Garden on Monday night as the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game.
The jeers came after fans endured hours-long lines and heavy security that blocked off streets for blocks around the arena. The New York Knicks went on to lose Game 3 to the San Antonio Spurs, 115–111, trimming their series lead to 2–1.
The booing erupted when Trump appeared on the big screen, saluting during the national anthem. He was joined by his granddaughter, Knicks owner James Dolan, and several administration officials.
Trump, a Queens native, has long had a tense relationship with his heavily Democratic hometown.
His arrival shut down streets to traffic and pedestrians, deployed thousands of NYPD and Secret Service officers, and set up metal barriers that emptied nearby bars—normally packed for a Finals game.
Frustrated Knicks fans and commuters struggled to get around the spectacle on a night that marked the team’s first Finals appearance since 1999.
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