Fox News host Brian Kilmeade pushed back Tuesday against claims that President Donald Trump was overwhelmingly booed during his appearance at Madison Square Garden, arguing instead that the reaction from the crowd was far more divided than many observers suggested.
The debate emerged following Trump’s attendance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Video from the arena circulated widely after the president appeared on the venue’s screens, with what sounded to many viewers like loud boos echoing throughout the building.
During a discussion on Fox & Friends the following morning, Kilmeade offered a firsthand account of the scene, noting that he was present at the game and seated close enough to observe the crowd’s reaction directly.
“I was also there,” Kilmeade said, explaining that he was seated “diagonally below” the president during the contest.
After the program played footage capturing the crowd’s response, Kilmeade disputed the idea that the reaction was uniformly negative.
“I would say there was a couple things happening,” he told viewers. “The reason why I think the president had about half the stadium in New York City, which is pretty amazing.”
Kilmeade pointed out that New York City is not traditionally considered favorable political territory for Republicans and suggested that Trump’s level of support in the arena was notable given the city’s political landscape.
“Which, I don’t know if you heard, it’s pretty hard for a Republican to be successful in New York City,” Kilmeade said. “But I think he did make history there.”
The discussion continued when co-host Lawrence Jones suggested that some of the negative reaction was unsurprising because many attendees likely supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat.
Even so, Kilmeade maintained that the atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden was more complicated than critics were portraying.
“I would say this: I would say it’s mixed, Lawrence,” he said. “There were people cheering. I will challenge anybody on that. I was sitting right there.”
Kilmeade also offered another explanation for some of the frustration visible among attendees, pointing to the extensive security measures surrounding the president’s visit.
According to the Fox News host, entering the arena became a lengthy process as spectators navigated multiple security checkpoints before reaching their seats.
“You just sat there in a herd through four magnetometers,” Kilmeade said while describing the experience.
He added that the delays were substantial, saying he personally waited approximately 90 minutes to travel just two city blocks because of the security precautions around Madison Square Garden.
As a result, Kilmeade suggested that some fans may have been frustrated before the game even began.
“So there were people that just maybe were upset about how long it took just to get into the game,” he said.
Despite the challenges outside the arena, Kilmeade described the atmosphere once play began as overwhelmingly positive.
“But once the game started, it was great,” he said. “It was just a fantastic atmosphere.”
The president’s appearance remained one of the biggest storylines surrounding the game, drawing attention both before and after tipoff. By the final buzzer, however, much of the focus shifted to the outcome on the court.
The Knicks ultimately fell to the Spurs by a score of 115-111, ending what had been a 13-game playoff winning streak. In the aftermath, some disappointed fans jokingly pointed to Trump’s presence as the reason for the loss, though the debate over the crowd’s reaction continued to dominate discussion long after the game concluded.
[READ MORE: Bill Maher Reflects on Charlie Kirk After His Death]
