A desperate Donald Trump insisted that he received a warm reception while attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals at New York’s Madison Square Garden, despite the president being resoundingly booed.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in New York City, Trump was asked directly about the reaction he received when he appeared on the jumbotrons during Monday night’s game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
“I thought it was great. I mean, I thought it was amazing, actually. You mean when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very good,” Trump said.
“It was certainly amazing. It was, it was, I think, mostly cheers. It was loud, and it was very enthusiastic.”
Trump’s insistence that the New York crowd gave him a welcoming reception did not match reports from the arena.
Videos from Monday’s game appeared to show sections of the crowd booing and jeering the 79-year-old president when he appeared on screen during the performance of the National Anthem.
The Washington Times pool reporter Jeff Mordock noted that the president was “thunderously booed” while attending the game with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan.
Trump was also booed by the fans during another point when he appeared on the screens at MSG.
Even before the game, New Yorkers were seen flipping off the president’s motorcade and chanting obscenities at Trump as he rode by.
Trump’s appearance at the NBA Finals had already caused major disruption, resulting in much stricter security arrangements. A planned watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled, with several blocks around the arena closed off.
Fans were also told to arrive at least two hours early, while Madison Square Garden implemented a strict no-bag policy.
Despite the extensive security measures put in place to accommodate the sitting president, Trump appeared to doze off at one point during the game, only opening his eyes after a referee’s whistle.
The appearance of the president also seemed to have cursed the Knicks, who were on a 13-game winning streak lasting 46 days before they lost to the Spurs 115-111 on Monday.
Ahead of the game, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith urged Trump to stay away, suggesting that the president’s presence would worsen the atmosphere and cause too much chaos around the city.
“We’ve got avenues shut off, we’ve got streets shut off because the president is coming up,” Smith told his SiriusXM radio show. “What happened to Mar-a-Lago? What happened to the White House?”
“This is not about questioning his fandom,” Smith added. “This is not about questioning politics. It’s questioning your selfishness.”
Trump was also asked to respond to Smith—who has hinted that he may one day run for president—suggesting that Trump would be to blame if the Knicks lost because he attended the game.
“I think he’s a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that,” Trump said. “I don’t think he does, actually.”
