Donald Trump and his granddaughter Kai faced a wave of loud boos from the crowd at Madison Square Garden on Monday night as they attended a New York Knicks game. The scene unfolded amidst the excitement of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, casting a spotlight on the former president’s presence.

Trump’s visit to Manhattan led to significant security measures, with large parts of the city coming to a standstill. A security perimeter was established around the iconic venue, and various watch parties were canceled, all in preparation for his arrival in New York City.

Critics were quick to label Trump as ‘selfish’ for choosing to attend such a significant event for New Yorkers. Their disapproval was palpable when the crowd made their sentiments known. As Trump appeared on the jumbotron inside the arena, the audience erupted in boos, expressing their discontent with his presence on what was considered a key night for the city.

During the performance of the national anthem, described as ‘thunderous’ by the official White House pool report, the booing persisted for about ten seconds. The camera then shifted focus back to the players on the court, momentarily redirecting the attention.

Despite the hostile reception, Trump seemed unfazed. He responded with a sly smile and acknowledged the crowd by saluting and raising a fist during the anthem, which was performed by Grammy Award-nominated artist Avery Wilson.

His granddaughter Kai, standing alongside him, also appeared to smirk at the boos as the pair watched on from behind the protective screens.

Donald Trump and his granddaughter Kai smirked as boos rang around MSG on Monday

The president was given a brutal welcome by Knicks fans ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals 

Trump gave a fist to the crowd after the ‘thunderous’ boos from the fervent Knicks fans 

Outside the arena, Trump was greeted by expletive-laden signs and furious Knicks fans

At the Bryant Park watch party, Knicks fans made their feelings clear towards the president

Rather than a highly-coveted $50,000 courtside seat for the Spurs-Knicks Game 3 showdown, the president was behind bulletproof glass in a suite at mid-level inside MSG. 

Alongside Kai, he was joined by Knicks owner James Dolan – wearing a garish orange suit – as well as interior secretary Doug Burgum and transportation secretary Sean Duffy.

When the jumbotron changed from Trump to Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson, the deafening boos changed to wild cheers. 

Outside the arena, meanwhile, thousands of fans – who had shelled out eyewatering amounts for their tickets – were forced to line up for hours in the New York heat.

All fans entering MSG went through extra security checks and metal detectors before entering, and the steel ring meant that fans were subjected to lengthy waits that threatened to see them miss tip-off.

Trump arrived in Manhattan via a helicopter into the Wall Street Landing Zone, where his motorcade then raced up to Madison Square Garden.

En route to the arena, the president was subjected to middle fingers and thumbs down from the New York public, as reported by the White House pool.

The president was flanked by granddaughter Kai (left) and Knicks owner James Dolan (center)

Trump waves to the lines of Knicks fans around Madison Square Garden as he arrives

The president’s motorcade arrived at MSG shortly after 7:30pm, with many fans stuck outside

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, meanwhile, paid $1k for his ticket in the standing section

Several others held signs that read ‘Nobody wants you here’, ‘Trump must go’, and two others said: ‘Impeach. Convict. Remove.’ 

On the southwest corner of 34th St and 8th Av, videos on social media showed anti-Trump protestors holding signs that read: ‘See you in hell’ and ‘Trump must go now’. 

Over the weekend, Trump sparked a furious reaction from New Yorkers when he announced his plans to travel to Manhattan to watch the game.

The president was also asked for his reaction to the extortionate ticket prices, causing more anger by telling fans to ‘watch on TV’ if they could not afford to go.

Trump, who is not paying for his own ticket and was instead invited for free by Knicks owner Dolan, said: ‘Well, I know, but they can watch it on television.

‘It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on television. But that’s the way life goes… now if the game wasn’t as big – if the team wasn’t a big success – you could go very easily. So you can do that, too.’

The Marine One helicopter, carrying President Trump, arrives at the Wall Street Landing Zone

In preparation for the president’s arrival, New Yorkers made their feelings clear on the streets

Secret Service surrounded the perimeter of the arena in the hours leading up to Game 3

A steel fence was erected around the arena, with fans subjected to stringent security checks

He added: ‘But that’s the way life is, you know. They’ve had great success. And don’t forget, they’ve suffered also losses, and they’ve suffered during the bad time. Now they have a good time. They have a team that’s amazing.’

Trump’s decision to attend the game has wreaked organizational havoc, with the NYPD erecting a steel ring around the perimeter of MSG and hundreds of Secret Service on site to keep the president safe.

Increased security concerns led to the pre-planned watch party outside MSG to be canceled and moved to Bryant Park, which will hold 5,000 New Yorkers for the game.

The Knicks also sanctioned two further watch parties around the city for fans unable to be inside MSG, one at Wollman Rink in Central Park and another at Brooklyn Bowl. 

Meanwhile, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani was also in attendance for Game 3, having claimed earlier in the day that he had paid under $1,000 for the privilege.

He was spotted beaming for a photo from his standing-room-only area, and the Daily Mail also witnessed him shaking hands with fans and posing for photos. 

Despite thousands of diehard fans shelling out upwards of $10k for the chance to witness history, the mayor told reporters he had spent just a three-figure sum to be among the ‘standing room only’ fans inside MSG.

‘I bought my tickets for nearly $1,000 from Madison Square Garden,’ he said. ‘I’ll be going to tonight’s Game 3, and I’ll be standing for the duration of the game.’

Trump waved at the crowds, but New Yorkers did not appear enamored to see the president

Fans who had paid thousands of dollars for tickets were forced to line around the block

Knicks fans spent hours trying to get inside Madison Square Garden for the NBA Finals game

The NYPD and Secret Service surrounded MSG and Game 3 watch parties were canceled

He insisted that he purchased his ticket ‘directly from the organization itself’ and that he received no mayoral discount.

‘That’s something that I purchased directly from the Madison Square Garden, close to $1,000 was the price of it, and standing room only is just the section that I’ll be standing in,’ he added.

Despite his insistence, fans were left skeptical, questioning how Mamdani, a democratic socialist, got his hands on one of the most-coveted tickets in New York.

As of Monday afternoon, tickets in the standing room only section were listed on resale sites for as much as $4,900 – a far cry from Mamdani’s price of below $1,000.

The discrepancy between the skyrocketing prices available to the people of New York and the apparent mayoral discount left fans furious.

Many suggested that Mamdani had received a discounted ticket, while others pointed out that accessing tickets directly from MSG wasn’t a luxury available to everyone.

‘Tickets are always put on the side and comp’d by ownership & the league for celebrities, politicians, hall of famers and other dignitaries,’ one social media user alleged on social media.

On Monday night, Charles Barkley found himself as captivated as the Madison Square Garden audience by Cardi B’s halftime show at Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

The outspoken personality didn’t hold back his thoughts, and neither did his fellow “Inside the NBA” commentators.

As the Knicks led by seven and aimed to secure a 3-0 series advantage, host Ernie Johnson remarked, “We’ve been competing with Cardi B here,” while the broadcast aired snippets of her performance.

Barkley quipped, “We lost,” before adding with a chuckle, “I don’t know if those are B’s. They might be Cardi D’s,” prompting uproarious laughter from the panel.

“I’m pretty sure those aren’t B’s,” he added as laughter filled the booth. “She’s got the wrong initials.”

“I don’t know who said that,” Johnson butted in just as the program cut to commercial.

The Hall of Famer’s attention to the “WAP” rapper wasn’t hard to notice.

The broadcast cut to a post on X calling out Shaquille O’Neal.

“Shaq is glued to CARDI B!! CHILLL focus Shaq,” the user wrote with several laughing crying emojis.

The ESPN broadcast crew hasn’t fallen short of viral moments throughout the NBA Finals.

Shaq had trouble getting past security ahead of Game 2, which made for a hilarious moment on social media.

The video showed that O’Neal had to re-enter the metal detector for a second walkthrough, and he ducked his head under the top to get back to the other side.

Additionally, during halftime of the Knicks’ eventual Game 2 win in San Antonio, Barkley completely ripped Victor Wembanyama.

“Wemby’s in shock right now,” he said. “It’s probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this. But right now, big KAT is taking his ass to the woodshed.”

A Navy sailor confessed on Monday to the murder of fellow sailor, 21-year-old Angelina Resendiz, within his barracks room last year. This admission has brought a sense of closure to her mother while raising fresh concerns among Resendiz’s family and advocates about potential missed intervention opportunities by military authorities.

Esmi Castle, whose daughter was discovered lifeless in a wooded area near Norfolk, approximately 10 miles from Naval Station Norfolk in June 2025, shared with News Media that Jeremiah Copeland’s courtroom confession provided answers to the unresolved questions surrounding her daughter’s death. However, she expressed her belief that the tragedy might have been avoidable.

According to a report by USNI News, Copeland entered a guilty plea during a general court-martial to the unpremeditated murder of Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Angelina Resendiz. Additionally, he admitted to making a false official statement, committing aggravated assault involving a second individual, and engaging in indecent recording related to a third victim.

Accompanied by images of Naval Station Norfolk, where Resendiz was stationed, and a family-provided photo of Resendiz, the news of her fellow sailor’s guilty plea reverberated through the community. (Reuters / Courtesy of Esmi Castle)

During the court proceedings, Copeland acknowledged strangling Resendiz on May 29, 2025. He told the military judge, “I killed CS3 Resendiz on May 29, 2025 … I strangled her with my hands,” as reported by USNI News. Despite the medical examiner’s previous ruling of an undetermined cause of death, Copeland’s courtroom admission affirmed that he had indeed strangled her.

Angelina Resendiz poses for a photo inside her barracks room while serving as a culinary specialist in the U.S. Navy. Her mother described her as ambitious and focused on advancing her military career before her death in 2025. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)

According to Copeland, Resendiz came to his barracks room on May 29, 2025, where the two drank alcohol and kissed before she became upset after seeing something on his phone. Copeland admitted in court Monday that he strangled Resendiz while trying to keep her from attracting the attention of other sailors.

Under the plea agreement, Copeland faces a minimum of 40 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, forfeiture of all pay and a reduction in rank. He will also be required to register as a sex offender, USNI News reported.

Castle said hearing the admission brought “peace of mind” after more than a year of uncertainty.

Angelina Resendiz wears her culinary specialist uniform in a photo provided by her family. Castle said her daughter aspired to join the Navy’s elite culinary competition team and eventually cook for world leaders. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)

“Now that I know, I don’t have to think about it anymore,” she told News Media.

Still, Castle argued that Navy leadership failed to adequately respond to earlier allegations involving Copeland.

“If they would have dealt with him when he started harming women, he would never have gotten to Angie,” she said.

Angelina Resendiz works as a culinary specialist while serving in the U.S. Navy. Her mother said she was dedicated to advancing her career and preparing for future promotions. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)

Castle said she believes multiple incidents involving other women should have triggered stronger action before her daughter’s death. Court records and prior reporting have described allegations involving other women, though not all allegations resulted in guilty pleas.

“Absolutely, yes,” Castle said when asked whether Copeland had a history of harming women. “There were four other women before he harmed Angie in the military.”

Before her death, Resendiz was working to advance her Navy career as a culinary specialist and hoped to one day join the service’s elite culinary competition team. Castle said her daughter dreamed of eventually cooking for presidents and other world leaders.

Angelina Resendiz, center, poses with family members during an outing before her death in 2025. Resendiz’s mother said the 21-year-old sailor hoped to build a long career in the Navy. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)

“She was trying to grow,” Castle said. “She was doing everything she could to get ready for promotion.”

Since her daughter’s death, Castle has become an outspoken advocate for military sexual violence victims, arguing that active-duty service members often lack meaningful avenues to seek accountability outside the military justice system.

One of her primary goals is creating a pathway for military sexual assault and violence survivors to pursue claims in civilian courts. Castle said victims are too often left with limited options when allegations are mishandled or ignored within the ranks.

Esmi Castle (center, pink jacket), the mother of slain Navy sailor Angelina Resendiz, joins military families and advocates in Washington, D.C., to push for reforms addressing sexual violence and accountability within the armed forces. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)

“There’s no justice,” Castle said. “Victims are retaliated against. They get transferred. They get moved around.”

Castle recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with advocacy groups and other military families pushing for reforms. Through those efforts, she said she has met relatives of service members from multiple branches whose experiences convinced her the problem extends beyond a single case.

“Nothing’s changed,” Castle said. “We have statutes, and we have policies, and we have procedures that were implemented by Congress to protect service members from this type of violence. And nothing’s changed.”

An aerial view of Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where Angelina Resendiz and Jeremiah Copeland were stationed at the time of her death. (Reuters)

News Media has reached out to the U.S. Navy for comment.

Despite her criticism of the system, Castle said she does not harbor hatred toward Copeland. In fact, after the hearing, she spoke directly with him.

“I thanked him for telling the truth,” she said.

Castle also met with Copeland’s mother and grandmother, who attended the proceedings.

“We technically have all lost our kids,” Castle said.

Rather than expressing anger, Castle said she hopes Copeland uses the decades ahead of him in prison to change.

“He still can choose better,” she said, adding that she told Copeland that even while serving a lengthy prison sentence

<!–>