President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, June 8, drawing a massive spotlight to Madison Square Garden alongside his granddaughter, Kai, and several high-ranking administration officials.
Trump watched the matchup from a private suite, a high-profile appearance that required standard, heightened security measures to ensure the safety of the president and the venue.
To accommodate the presidential security detail, officials implemented TSA-like screenings for attendees and canceled the outdoor watch party outside the arena due to safety protocols. While some segments of the crowd booed when Trump was shown on the big screen, the president noted after the game that the reception he received was actually “mostly cheers.”
Left-wing critics quickly used the event to take shots at the president. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to X to troll Trump, sharing a clip where she claimed he appeared to have his eyes closed. AOC quoted the video, writing, “WAKE TF UP.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was also in attendance at the stadium, though Trump confirmed that the two did not meet during the event.
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