President Trump saluted the flag beside his granddaughter Kai at a heavily secured Madison Square Garden Monday night before settling in to watch his hometown New York Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. 

Trump’s appearance at the Mecca of Basketball marked the first time a sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game. But he’s a longtime fan of the team and often sat courtside before embarking on a political career.

The president, sitting in MSG boss James Dolan’s suite, was loudly booed by some of the Knicks faithful when he was shown on the big screen during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” although a smattering of cheers could be heard as well.

President Trump made history by attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, a first for a sitting president. AFP via Getty Images

Trump was saluting NYPD officers carrying the American flag when he was shown on the in-arena feed. 

At halftime, the president ventured down to the court after singer Cardi B’s performance.

Some in the crowd waved at the commander-in-chief and took video of him. 

Among the president’s party were EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Deputy White House chief of staff Dan Scavino, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. 

Kai Trump’s mom, Vanessa, was also there, as was the president’s personal attorney, Boris Epshteyn. 

President Trump attending the Knicks Game 3 Finals matchup with the Spurs Monday at Madison Square Garden. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Bruce Blakeman, the presumptive Republican nominee for New York governor, stopped by to chat with the president, who at one point was spotting snacking from a bucket of French fries and enjoying his favorite beverage — a Diet Coke. 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani took in the game from the standing-room-only section with a group of New York lawmakers, while a host of celebrities took in the game from courtside — with entertainment heavyweights Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, Timothee Chalamet, Dave Chappelle, Larry David and Pete Davidson among the spectators.

The first NBA Finals game in New York since 1999 ended the same way the last one did — with the home team falling to the Spurs in a close contest.

Trump departed the arena before the final buzzer sounded on the Knicks’ 115-111 loss.

“The game was fantastic. Well-played by both teams. We all had a lot of fun. It was great to watch very talented players,” Trump told reporters before departing JFK Airport to return to Washington.

Asked what he thought of his reception from the Garden crowd, Trump answered: “I thought it was amazing. You mean when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very good. It was certainly amazing. It was, I think mostly cheers loud and very enthusiastic.”

The Knicks, attempting to win their first NBA championship since 1973, still lead the best-of-seven series two games to one. Game 4 is Wednesday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

“I actually think it’s pretty remarkable that you’ve got Trump and Mamdani in the same building tonight,” said Lorenzo Caradonna, a 41-year-old Knicks fan from Hoboken, NJ. “There aren’t many places left where people from completely different political universes are all focused on the same thing.” 

Heavy security, including a multi-block perimeter and TSA-style screening, was in place for Trump’s visit to MSG. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

“For a few hours, everybody’s just a Knicks fan. That’s kind of refreshing.”

Security concerns around the president’s attendance forced the cancellation of a free watch party outside the Garden as the Secret Service and NYPD set up a multi-block security perimeter around the Garden beginning at 4 p.m., with no one allowed to enter the area unless they had a game ticket, train ticket, or other business in the neighborhood.

The lucky fans with tickets to the game were told to arrive at least two hours ahead of the 8:30 p.m. tipoff and subject themselves to TSA-style security screening.

“The security situation was unbelievable,” said David Rosen, 47, of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. 

Trump watching the Knicks courtside at Madison Square Garden in 2007. NBAE via Getty Images

“I understand why it had to be that way with Trump here, but it took forever to get inside,” Rosen continued. “Multiple checkpoints, long lines, restrictions on what you could bring in. 

“I’ve been coming to games for years and I’ve never seen it quite like that. By the time I got to my seat, I felt like I’d already worked a full day.”

Trump, a massive sports fan, has attended several major events since the start of his second term in January 2025 — including Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, this past year’s College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami, the 2025 men’s US Open tennis final at Flushing Meadows and the Daytona 500 auto race in Florida. 

The president told The Post last month that he has been enthralled by the Knicks’ playoff run. 

“I was going to go [to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals], but they closed it out very quickly. They’re great, and Jim Dolan’s a great guy — he’s, as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year,” Trump said on May 27. 

“Boy, what a team! They win all their games,” he said of the Knicks. “They really have some great players.” 

Trump added, “The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years and they’re doing right now very well.” 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), however, charged that Trump isn’t as big a Knicks fan as he is and was ruining the experience for others with his presence.

“It also is not clear to me that Donald Trump is a big Knicks fan. I mean does this guy even know the difference between Karl Rove and Karl-Anthony Towns? I don’t think so,” the Brooklyn Democrat told reporters on Capitol Hill Monday while wearing a Knicks hat. 

“He’s just injecting himself into the NBA Finals because he always has to bring the MAGA circus into town and that’s unfortunate.”