Published On 9/6/2026
Scenes broadcast by American media and platforms on Tuesday showed fans booing and chanting against US President Donald Trump while he was attending the third game of the NBA Finals, which brought together the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The footage showed the moment Trump appeared inside the booth, smiling during the playing of the national anthem, as voices of booing rose from a number of fans in the stands, while the US President continued to stand and salute the flag amid strict security measures that accompanied his attendance at the match.
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The cameras also caught Trump appearing drowsy, and even asleep inside the cabin, according to the Spanish newspaper “Marca.”
After the match ended, Trump was asked about the chants that greeted him inside the stadium. He denied being subjected to widespread booing, telling reporters: “I think most of them were chants of support. The sound was very loud and the audience was very enthusiastic.”
The authorities in New York imposed a tight security cordon around the Madison Square Garden area to ensure maximum security upon Trump’s arrival. Among the measures taken, the traditional mass gathering to watch the match, which is usually held outside the hall, was cancelled.
The authorities also ordered fans to arrive at the stadium three hours before the start of the match and without backpacks, to face strict security screening procedures similar to those used at airports.
The night’s events were not limited to what happened inside the stadium, as circulated scenes showed clashes breaking out between a number of fans of the two teams in the streets of Manhattan and around the gym after the end of the match. The footage showed an exchange of punches and shoving between groups of fans before the New York Police intervened to break up the clashes.
The confrontation ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating the New York Knicks with a score of 115-111, reducing the gap to 2-1 in the final series, which was decided in a best-of-seven match system.
