NYC imposes stringent security as Trump becomes 1st sitting U.S. president to attend NBA Finals game

By — Stephen Whyno, Associated Press Stephen Whyno, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/nyc-imposes-stringent-security-as-trump-becomes-1st-sitting-u-s-president-to-attend-nba-finals-game Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NYC imposes stringent security as Trump becomes 1st sitting U.S. president to attend NBA Finals game Nation Jun 8, 2026 3:45 PM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is set to be the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game, bringing strict security measures that will require New York Knicks fans to navigate an extensive safety perimeter around Madison Square Garden and an expected lengthy wait to get inside the building. READ MORE: Trump to attend Knicks' NBA Finals game in New York The security for Game 3 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs and the scene around the arena more closely resembled New Year's Eve in Times Square, and for fans, it might seem more akin to a trip to the airport. They were asked to get to the game two hours early and will be required to provide a ticket to get past various checkpoints along with passing through a TSA-style magnetometer. Trump's appearance led the New York Police Department and Secret Service to establish a multi-block security perimeter around the arena, cancel a watch party outside and institute a no-bag policy for ticket-holders. Fans had gathered around the Garden to watch games during this playoff run, during which the Knicks have won 13 games in a row to reach the final for the first time since 1999 and move two victories from their first NBA title since 1973. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. "The NYPD in coordination with the Secret Service made the decision for Game 3, where we have a presidential visit, that we could not support watch parties right outside of the Garden," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Monday. "We are looking forward to bringing back watch parties for Game 4. But I think New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that that generally means lockdowns of areas and that's what you're going to see tonight at the Garden." Trump has attended several major sporting events in his time as president, and the security measures have created major hassles for fans. Thousands of fans missed the start of last year's U.S. Open men's singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner because of lengthy security lines. Even though the U.S. Tennis Association pushed back the start of the match by a half-hour, many fans still couldn't get in because added measures meant that they had to go through screening not only when they arrived at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center but again in front of the steps into Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Trump watched from a suite. WATCH: Remembering the impact of Jason Collins, the NB