Fans face long lines, intense security in Midtown Manhattan ahead of Trump's NBA Finals trip

NEW YORK — Irate ticketholders booed U.S. President Donald Trump as they waited in lines stretching more than two blocks outside Madison Square Garden on Monday, where a strict, airport-style security setup delayed entry as he became the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.

With tipoff approaching for Game 3 of the Finals, more than half the seats inside the arena remained empty an hour before the game. The New York Knicks held a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series against the San Antonio Spurs.

Security measures slowed entry across the venue, as commuters and tourists navigated black metal barricades that restricted pedestrian movement around the area. A heavy police presence and multiple screening checkpoints created long delays for attendees.

Boos erupted from parts of the crowd when Trump’s motorcade arrived.

“I wish he wasn’t here. He’s not a real fan, and he’s just making things awful,” said Errol Ismail, a Brooklyn resident and fitness company owner who attempted several entrances before getting inside. “We’ve waited a lifetime for this, and he’s made it about himself, like everything else.”

Trump traveled into Manhattan by Marine One from his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club before continuing by motorcade to the venue, often referred to as the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

He attended as a guest of Knicks owner James Dolan, as New York hosted its first NBA Finals home game in 27 years. Fans had paid thousands of dollars for tickets in one of the most in-demand sporting events in the city.

The Queens-born former president has long had a complicated relationship with New York City, a heavily Democratic stronghold where he once lived and frequently criticized NBA-related activism. He also drew mixed reactions last year at the U.S. Open tennis final in Queens, where he received both cheers and boos.

Zohran Mamdani was also expected to attend Monday’s game after saying he purchased a ticket directly from Madison Square Garden for nearly $1,000. He and Trump have previously criticized each other’s political positions, though their past interactions have at times been described as unexpectedly cordial.

Security planning intensified over the weekend due to Trump’s attendance. The New York Police Department said pedestrians without an authorized reason were barred from entering a secured perimeter around the arena from West 35th to 30th Streets and Sixth to Eighth Avenues starting 4½ hours before the 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff.

Only a limited number of access points were available, and all entrants were subject to screening.

A traditional outdoor playoff watch party outside the arena was canceled due to security concerns, according to police.

Some attendees said they welcomed the president’s presence as a fellow Knicks fan, while declining to be named.

Others said they preferred to keep politics out of the event.

“I was at the Garden in 1999 to watch the Knicks lose to the Spurs in Game 5. I’m not going to let the president get in the way of my excitement tonight,” said Ben Wizner, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union. -Reporting by Amy Tennery and Bo Erickson in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Rosalba O'Brien and Cynthia Osterman/Reuters