Will Trump Attend Another Knicks Game? He’s Busy With ‘A War,’ He Says -

Topline

After President Donald Trump’s high-profile visit to Game 3 of the NBA finals to watch the New York Knicks disrupted New York City and prompted boos from the crowd, he suggested he is too busy with “a war” to attend this weekend’s game in San Antonio.

President Donald Trump attended the New York Knicks game on Monday. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Before boarding Air Force One after the Knicks game Monday night, a reporter asked Trump and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin, who was in attendance, whether they would attend Game 5 in San Antonio.

Zeldin said they are “busy with a lot of important stuff right now,” while Trump interjected: “Like a war.”

Game 5 isn’t until Saturday, and there is another game in New York on Wednesday—but Trump has not yet confirmed whether or not he plans to attend the fourth game.

Speaking with reporters at the Oval Office last week, Trump said he was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan to attend finals games at Madison Square Garden, suggesting he would attend Monday without ruling out attending on Wednesday: “He has invited me and I’m going. Could be Monday, maybe I’ll do both,” he said.

The New York Police Department said Sunday it barred watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Monday’s game “in coordination with the Secret Service because of the presidential visit,” but said it expects these watch parties to return for Game 4, suggesting Trump may not attend.

what happened during trump’s knicks game visit?

Trump was booed by the crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden during Monday night’s game. The crowd erupted when Trump was displayed on the screen, saluting, during the national anthem, and the president appeared to smile as the crowd jeered. A watch party held at New York’s Bryant Park, which hosted thousands of fans, also erupted in boos as Trump was shown on screen, according to videos from the event. Trump, speaking to reporters after the game, said he thought he heard “mostly cheers,” calling the arena’s response “loud” and “very enthusiastic.” At another point during the game, Trump appeared to have his eyes shut, prompting allegations he had fallen asleep. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., said in a post on X: “WAKE TF UP.” Trump’s attendance at the game prompted strict security measures and disrupted Midtown Manhattan, with the NYPD closing a set of blocks around Madison Square Garden to pedestrians and cancelling watch parties outside the arena, while ticketholders were asked to attend the game two hours early.

what did trump say about iran?

While speaking to reporters after the game, Trump suggested a peace deal with Iran could be possible within “two or three days.” Israel and Iran were “going back and forth” with strikes, “and now they both agreed, through me, to stop, and now we’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal,” Trump told reporters.

who won game 3?

The Knicks fell to the Spurs in Game 3, the team’s first loss in the NBA finals. The Spurs won 115-111 on Monday, led by French player Victor Wembanyama, who scored 32 points. The Knicks still lead the series 2-1.

tangent

Also in attendance at Monday’s game was New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani. Trump told reporters after the game he and Mamdani did not cross paths, and in an interview last week, Mamdani said he would be sitting in a “very different” section from Trump.