SMILING THROUGH IT

Trump Hit With Loud Boos in Ultimate MSG Embarrassment

The president was humiliated after being “thunderously booed” at Madison Square Garden.

Attendees at Game 3 of the NBA Finals at New York’s Madison Square Garden made their feelings about President Donald Trump’s attendance known.

As Avery Wilson sang the anthem ahead of the third game in the series between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, the crowd could be heard booing, with the volume skyrocketing as the camera cut to show Trump–joined by his granddaughter Kai, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and MSG CEO James Dolan–saluting while watching the game from Dolan’s suite.

In footage of the broadcast, the president can be seen forcing a smile as the boos continue for more than 10 seconds.

“TRUMP indisputably booed loudly at 8:36pm when they put an image of a saluting President Trump on the Jumbotron during the National Anthem,” CBS Senior White House Correspondent Ed O’Keefe wrote on X, while the Washington Times’ pool reporter Jeff Mordock noted that the president was “thunderously booed.”

“It was loud and long, but quickly changed to cheers when the camera quickly panned to Jalen Brunson on the court,” Mordock added.

A video posted by WFAN’s Evan Roberts confirms that the boos increased in volume as the president’s face was shown on the Jumbotron inside the arena.

An Associated Press livestream of a watch party held in Bryant Park–organized by Mayor Zohran Mamdani after a highly anticipated watch party outside MSG was canceled to accommodate the president’s visit—showed the president being booed by many of the 5000 fans in attendance.

The White House-associated @RapidResponse47 X account attempted to deflect from the boos by reposting a video of the president during the national anthem, in which the boos could be heard, and adding the caption, “OUR PRESIDENT,” accompanied by three U.S. flag emojis.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Trump claimed that he received a positive reception, telling them, “I thought it was very good. It was certainly amazing. I think mostly cheers. It was loud. And it was very enthusiastic.”

The boos follow the not-so-warm welcome the 79-year-old received during his arrival at the venue, with reporters noting several rude gestures directed at the presidential motorcade in addition to multiple critical signs, including one that read, “Nobody wants you here.” The president’s motorcade was also booed as it traveled towards MSG.

Knicks fans have been critical of Trump’s decision to attend the game at the invitation of team owner James Dolan since the news broke, worrying that his presence could create chaos for fans.

“I don’t want him there,” sports commentator Stephen A. Smith said. “It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that’s going to be existing at Madison Square Garden.”

“You don’t understand what Monday is going to be like in New York City,” he added. “There is nothing short of madness that is coming the way of everybody come Monday.”

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Smith’s instincts were proven correct on Monday, as authorities shut down the streets surrounding MSG from 4 p.m. and canceled a highly anticipated watch party outside the venue in order to accommodate the enhanced security measures necessitated by the president’s visit.

HOMETOWN FURY

Knicks Fans Blast Trump After MSG Watch Party Is Canceled

Erkki Forster

The disruptions continued into the evening, as fans with tickets to the game were forced to wait in line for hours to try to enter the venue.

“There are hundreds, if not a thousand people, wandering around in giant herds not knowing where to go or how to get in,” one attendee told sports business analyst Darren Rovell. “The police keep saying they don’t know the protocol.”

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