As the New York Knicks hosted the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Donald Trump made his appearance at Madison Square Garden to enjoy the game.
While the Spurs went on to beat the Knicks 115-111 to keep their championship hopes alive, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reacted to Trump dozing off during the game.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reacts to Donald Trump Sleeping During Game 3
Trump had already been a central figure in Game 3 after entering Madison Square Garden under heightened security.
He made history with his appearance at the Spurs-Knicks game on Monday, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game.
He was joined by Kai Trump, Jared Kushner, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
A short video appeared to show Trump nodding off in his suite for a brief stretch, and Ocasio-Cortez took the chance to aim a jab at him.
“WAKE TF UP,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
WAKE TF UP https://t.co/0aPlrTrqfl
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 9, 2026
The president’s presence was frequently highlighted throughout the broadcast, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke positively about Trump’s longtime support of the Knicks.
The US President also looked emotionally invested in the action, reacting to several key moments, including a controversial play involving Knicks’ Jalen Brunson.
Donald Trump looks like he’s complaining that Jalen Brunson got fouled to Adam Silver himself. This is legendary.
(via @wolfejosh, h/t @MLFootball) pic.twitter.com/ZIksx5v2uR
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 9, 2026
Amid the excitement surrounding Trump’s attendance, the evening ended in disappointment for New York.
San Antonio took a 12-point lead early in the second quarter before the Knicks responded behind another strong performance.
However, this time around, the Spurs did not squander their early momentum, with Victor Wembanyama making his presence felt. The Frenchman finished the game with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists to grab one back for San Antonio.
After the game, Knicks head coach Mike Brown focused on the importance of maintaining perspective in a long series while also expressing frustration with the officiating.
“I told our guys, it’s a seven-game series for a reason. They’re a great team, they’re well coached… It’s not gonna be easy… There are some things that we can control that I didn’t think we controlled tonight. Like I said, maybe we fouled 24 times. But I’m baffled that they only fouled 8 in the second half.”
The loss snapped New York’s 13-game winning streak and marked its first defeat in 46 days. It also came just two days after they had escaped with a dramatic win thanks to a crucial late-game Spurs turnover.
If San Antonio manages to steal another win on Wednesday, the pressure on the Knicks will continue to mount.
Trump’s historic appearance would remain part of the storyline, but not necessarily for reasons Knicks fans would want to remember.
