Trump booed by New York crowd during NBA Finals clash, his reaction goes viral: 'I wish he wasn't here'

US President Donald Trump received a hostile reception from New Yorkers when he attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Fans inside the arena greeted Trump with loud boos when his face appeared on the giant screen for a few seconds during the American national anthem.

Earlier, Trump became the first sitting US president to attend an NBA Finals game. He was present as a guest of Knicks president James Dolan. As soon as his image appeared on the screen, loud boos started doing the rounds around the packed stadium. The reaction quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the night and generated widespread discussion on social media.

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Videos of the moment went viral, with many users commenting on the hostile reception the US President received in his hometown. Earlier, a large crowd gathered on the streets started booing when Trump's motorcade passed through to go to Madison Square Garden for the game.

However, Trump remained unfazed by the boos and said that he really enjoyed the game while going back to Washington DC.

"I thought it was amazing, actually," Trump told reporters as he prepared to depart from JFK airport in New York. "You mean, when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very good."

Fans slam Trump for spoiling the game

The incident marked the latest chapter in Trump's complicated relationship with his former hometown, where fuming fans waited in lines that snarled around the sidewalks of Midtown Manhattan with extraordinary security measures in place for the presidential visit.

With New York commanding a 2-0 head start in the best-of-seven series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks' first home Finals game in 27 years was the hottest ticket in the five boroughs, with fans shelling out thousands of dollars to enter the American sports cathedral.

But a formidable security presence slowed entry to the arena for ticket-holders, as commuters and tourists navigated a maze of black metal fencing that restricted pedestrian traffic around the venue.

"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 owner of a fitness company, who tried multiple entrances to get into the venue. "We've waited a lifetime for this, and he's made it about himself, like everything else."

Trump's approval rate held near the lowest levels of his political career, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday, with some 35% of respondents saying they approved of Trump's performance.

The Spurs beat the Knicks 115-111 to cut New York's series lead to 2-1.

(With agency inputs)