▲ U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York, on June 8 (local time).
U.S. President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York, on June 8 (local time).
Invited by Knicks owner James Dolan, President Trump watched the game from a suite inside the arena.
Trump is the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game in person.
As the U.S. national anthem played before the start of the game, President Trump appeared on the arena's large screens, prompting loud boos from the crowd.
President Trump stood between his granddaughter, Kai Trump, and Knicks owner Dolan, saluting during the anthem.
The booing continued for some time, but the atmosphere shifted to cheers as the arena cameras turned to Knicks ace Jalen Brunson on the court.
Although President Trump is a native of Queens, New York, and rose to prominence as a Manhattan real estate developer, his support base is relatively weak in New York, a city with strong Democratic leanings.
In the 2024 presidential election, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris received nearly 534,000 votes in New York City, while President Trump garnered approximately 114,000 out of the 666,600 total votes cast.
Another factor cited for the booing was the heightened security measures implemented due to the President's attendance at the high-profile game.
Basketball fans, who had struggled to secure tickets at skyrocketing prices, were advised to arrive at least two hours early without bags to undergo security screenings.
However, spectators expressed frustration as long lines persisted even after the screenings, delaying entry into the arena.
CNBC reported that as President Trump's motorcade traveled from southern Manhattan to the arena, citizens were seen holding signs that read, "Nobody wants you here," "Trump go away," and "Impeach, convict, remove."
When the presidential motorcade arrived at the arena, some citizens booed, while others waved American flags to show their support.
During the game, President Trump was captured by the White House press pool eating what appeared to be french fries and a diet cola.
President Trump was also seen in conversation with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Also watching the game from the suite were White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.