PoliticsDonald Trump Has Staggering Answer as He's Asked About Being Booed at Knicks Game
A 'delusional' Donald Trump poorly attempted to spin the loud booing he received at the NBA Finals.
June 9 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Despite the audibly booming boos heard around the world, President Donald Trump insisted he received an "amazing" reception at the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, flatly denying that the crowd resoundingly booed him.
When asked directly by reporters before boarding Air Force One about the loud boos that erupted when his face appeared on the arena jumbotrons, Trump claimed, "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."
“It was certainly amazing. It was, it was, I think, mostly cheers. It was loud, and it was very enthusiastic,” he added.
'It Was Very Enthusiastic'
Donald Trump raved over the 'amazing' response he got at Madison Square Garden despite being met with boos.
Despite Trump's positive spin, numerous reports and video footage shared globally confirmed a highly hostile environment.
The crowd erupted in thunderous jeers during the national anthem when the stadium video screens cut to the 79-year-old.
New Yorkers also booed his presidential motorcade heavily as it navigated the city streets toward the arena.
Fans outside the venue were seen booing the president's motorcade.
Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game, watching Game 3 between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
Following the game, media outlets like The Daily Beast reported that a "delusional" Trump actively tried to change the narrative online. At around 2:11 a.m., he shared a video clip from a conservative news site showing his motorcade.
While a few supporters in the video could be heard chanting his name, the background audio was otherwise dominated by New Yorkers loudly booing the president.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
The President Appeared to Doze Off at the Game
People accused the POTUS of falling asleep in the middle of the game, which he watched from a suite.
Viral video clips also showed the soporific senior with his eyes closed during the game. While critics on social media claimed he fell asleep during the game, supporters argued he was merely resting his eyes or listening closely amid the crowd noise.
New York Knicks fans frustratingly blamed Trump’s "bad aura" for the team's 115-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
His arrival coincided with the end of the Knicks' historic 13-game playoff winning streak. Superstitious fans immediately took to social media and post-game interviews to blame Trump's presence for ruining the team's momentum.
Stephen A. Smith and Donald Trump Are at Odds
Stephen A. Smith admitted he would blame Donald Trump if the Knicks lost the game the president attended.
“Dude shut down Midtown to show up, get booed, fall asleep, and cause the Knicks to lose the game & a 12-game winning streak. Donald Trump is a generational loser piece of s---. Everything he involves himself in gets significantly worse,” quipped popular poster John Bourscheid.
Before tipoff, ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith explicitly stated on-air that he would blame the president if New York lost. When later asked about Smith's comments, Trump clapped back, questioning the commentator's IQ.
“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.”
