President Donald Trump Blasted for 'Out-of-Touch' Response to Pricey NBA Finals Tickets: 'That's the Way Life Is'

People were not pleased by Donald Trump’s reaction to surging NBA Finals ticket prices.

In an interview reposted to X on Friday, June 5, the president, 79, who plans on attending Game 3 this coming Monday in New York, was asked about people paying thousands of dollars for a seat.

“The cheapest price for the Game 3 you’re going to is $8,000. Everyday Americans can’t afford these sporting events,” a journalist pointed out.

“They can watch it on television. It's semi-free to watch it on TV. That's the way life goes,” he replied. “If the team wasn’t a big success, you could go very easily. That’s the way life is. They’ve had great success.”

Political commentator Brian Krassenstein critiqued the Republican for his “out-of-touch response.”

Another user agreed, “That’s the way life is… when you’ve never lived it. Says the guy who’s never pumped his own gas, bought his own groceries, or lived one single day without a silver spoon surgically attached. Out-of-touch doesn’t even cover it anymore.”

Others, however, disagreed with the detractors and claimed President Trump had a point about important sporting events being pricey.

“High-demand tickets are expensive! That is life! We sometimes can’t afford what we want,” an X user wrote. “Trump’s not out of touch he’s dealing with the reality of NBA finals ticket prices.”

The 79-year-old revealed on Thursday, June 4, that he accepted an invitation from New York Knicks owner James Dolan to attend the team’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden.

"The answer is yes," Trump said. "[Dolan] has invited me, and I'm going. I'll be there. It could be Monday. Maybe I'll do both [Game 3 and Game 4]."

He added, "[The Knicks] find a way to do it. They're really great, a great team. I'm happy for Jim [Dolan] because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team."

The president confirmed he watched the Knicks take home a Game 1 win and was awestruck by the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.

“He’s a great player," Trump said. "He's going to be a great player. He's already a great player. I said, 'How do you guard this guy?' He's 7-foot-5 and has a great shot."

NBA commissioner Adam Silver also expressed on Thursday how Trump would be “welcome” to attend Game 3.

"President Trump is very much a New Yorker," he said. "I'm thrilled another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knicks team."