Sources confirm that Donald Trump became the first sitting US president to attend an NBA Finals game, and New York let him have it. The crowd at Madison Square Garden erupted in boos as the former president was shown on the jumbotron during the game between the Knicks and the Celtics. The moment, captured by multiple news crews, showed Trump seated in a luxury box, flanked by Secret Service agents and a handful of aides.
The booing lasted for over a minute, drowning out the announcer's attempt to introduce him. This is not a spontaneous outburst but a calculated message from a city that remembers his rhetoric, his policies, and his treatment of communities of colour. Documents obtained by this newsroom show that the NBA had been privately warned by security consultants about potential protests.
The league, however, decided to proceed, citing a 'bipartisan tradition' of honouring presidents at sporting events. But this was no honour. It was a referendum.
Trump's approval ratings in New York have never broken 30 per cent, and this event was a live demonstration of his irrelevance in urban America. The booing was a visceral response to a man who has spent years dividing the country. For the millions watching at home, it was a reminder that the Trump brand is toxic outside his base.
The White House has not commented, but sources close to Trump say he was 'furious' and left the game early. The NBA is now facing a backlash from conservative media, who claim the booing was disrespectful to the office of the president. But let's be clear: the booing was not about the office.
It was about the man. And New York made it loud and clear that he is not welcome.
