U.S. President Donald Trump attended the NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden to support the New York Knicks. When cameras showed Trump in his box during the national anthem, boos erupted from the stands.
Alongside Trump were White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Jared Kushner, and his grandson Kai Trump.
Extensive security measures were implemented at Madison Square Garden prior to Trump's arrival. An outdoor viewing event planned outside the arena was also canceled.
This game marked the first time a sitting U.S. president attended an NBA Finals game. It was also noted that Trump is the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl game previously.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also attended the same game. Mamdani, who said he paid $1,000 for a standing-room ticket, stated he did not plan to meet the president at the game during the day.
Mamdani expressed his belief that his interactions with the president regarding service to New York would continue. He added that the best outcome for the city would be a Knicks victory.