Kai Trump stood by while her grandfather was heavily booed on Monday (Image: SAUL LOEB, AFP via Getty Images)
The atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden has a reputation for amplifying both cheers and boos, but one thing is certain – attendees at the iconic venue won’t stand for anyone attempting to spin their authentic reactions for political purposes, whether deliberately or not.
Kai Trump learned this firsthand after accompanying her grandfather, President Donald Trump, to Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks faced off against the San Antonio Spurs.
Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game, yet much of the post-game conversation centered on the disruption his visit caused for New Yorkers and the crowd’s notably hostile reception. A clip shared by Kai, however, painted a starkly different picture from the overwhelmingly negative response that was widely documented.
During the pregame national anthem performance, the president appeared on MSG’s jumbotron and was greeted with a thunderous wave of disapproval as he saluted.
The booing echoed throughout the entire arena and was picked up by broadcast cameras, even as ABC/ESPN largely avoided focusing on Trump, who was seated behind protective glass in a suite.
US President Donald Trump with his grand daughter Kai Trump (2L) and Knicks owner James Dolan attend Game Three of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) (Image: SAUL LOEB, AFP via Getty Images)
A flood of videos quickly surfaced online from fans inside the venue, television commentators, and sports journalists, all commenting on the sheer volume of the crowd’s hostile reaction. Even Trump himself posted footage of the booing he received upon arriving at the game.
Kai later shared an Instagram video from Tuesday evening’s match and credited 15 Seconds of Fame, a service that utilizes uploaded selfies and facial recognition software to identify attendees and create clips of their game-day experience.
A Page Six report indicated that the company edited the footage and Kai simply reposted what she received. However, that explanation did little to quiet detractors who flooded the comments section.
Multiple users directly called out Kai for failing to take full accountability for material appearing on her social media accounts. One fan remarked, “Changing the audio is wild though,” wrote one commenter.
Another basketball enthusiast declared, “She replaced the audio. Editing the boos out is crazy work,” while a third chimed in, “Girl, your face says it all. You and Grandpa were BOOED.”
Someone who attended the game observed, “The boos rocked the foundation of The Garden,” while yet another commented, “Girl your face says it all. You and Grandpa were BOOED.”
Despite clarification regarding the video’s source, critics continued insisting that anyone inside Madison Square Garden understood exactly how spectators reacted, especially someone experiencing it firsthand.
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