Visit to low-approval New York seen as political play ahead of midterms; possible encounter with Democratic rising star Mamdani draws attention

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Donald Trump watches a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1991. [AP]
Donald Trump watches a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1991. [AP]

Donald Trump's decision to attend the NBA Finals in New York on June 8 is drawing political scrutiny. The New York Times described the visit as "a kind of homecoming" for the president, who was born and raised in the city.

Trump, who had been staying at his New Jersey estate since the weekend, traveled to New York state to watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. He also said he might stay to watch Game 4 the following day.

American political historian Matthew Dallek told USA Today that Trump's attendance amounted to "going into the lion's den" — an English idiom rooted in the biblical story of Daniel, who was cast into a pit of lions and survived through divine protection.

New York is hostile territory for Trump. His approval rating in the state hovers around 30 percent, below the national average. In the 2024 presidential election, he won just 43 percent of the state's vote, surrendering all its electoral votes to the Democratic candidate. In Manhattan, his share was a mere 17 percent.

Visiting the heart of heavily Democratic New York City while emphasizing his identity as a native New Yorker can be read as an appeal to city voters ahead of the midterm elections — particularly as New Yorkers are buzzing over the Knicks' first shot at an NBA title in 53 years.

Dallek said the Knicks' first Finals appearance in decades gives Trump "a two-for-one opportunity." "He can generate controversy, keep all eyes on himself, and share in the Knicks' glory even if he gets booed or mocked" by Democratic supporters, Dallek predicted.

The visit also carries an element of courting American sports fans more broadly. Trump will become the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game in person. Even Barack Obama, a devoted basketball fan, never attended the Finals during his time in office.

Trump has made a habit of attending major sporting events — the NFL's Super Bowl, prominent golf tournaments, the Daytona 500 and the US Open men's tennis final among them. On June 14, his 80th birthday, he will host a UFC event on the White House lawn.

The visit came at the invitation of James Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden Entertainment and owner of the Knicks. The New York Times reported the two are expected to watch the game together from a suite inside the arena.

The NBA is among the most politically progressive of America's major sports leagues, and its players — predominantly Black — have frequently spoken out against Trump's policies. The Knicks' starting five is entirely Black.

Victor Wembanyama, the star of the opposing Spurs — who lost Games 1 and 2 at home — has publicly criticized Trump's anti-immigration policies.

Earlier this year, Wembanyama told reporters he felt "fear and devastation" every morning reading the news about a shooting in Minnesota. "It's hard to understand how civilian killings can be treated as though they're acceptable, or how an atmosphere like that can even exist," he said.

Analysts say Trump's willingness to attend a basketball game in a city that stands as a symbol of everything opposed to him — and to watch a sport whose players are predominantly Black — may itself be a calculated gamble. UFC, by contrast, is widely associated with Trump's core MAGA base.

Whether Trump will cross paths with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic rising star seen as a potential political rival, is also drawing attention. Mamdani has already purchased tickets to the game but said he would be seated "in a completely different zone" from the president.

In a radio interview on June 5, Mamdani said of Trump's attendance: "Anyone rooting for the Knicks is welcome." Mamdani has at times been sharply critical of Trump, yet accepted a White House invitation and was photographed in what was described as a cordial and warm meeting.

Some observers caution against over-politicizing the visit, arguing it is better understood simply as the act of a sports fan — or a longtime Knicks supporter.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told The Guardian that Trump is "a very New York kind of guy" and "a passionate Knicks fan long before he ran for office," adding that the visit could be "an opportunity to emphasize what we share rather than what divides us."


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