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‘That ticket cost way more than just the money, it cost everybody a good time,’ Ocasio-Cortez tells The Independent
Eric Garcia Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:12 BST- Bookmark
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Close popoverTrump appears to doze off during controversial NBA Finals appearance in New York
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has blasted President Donald Trump for falling asleep during the third game of the NBA Finals and blamed him for costing her hometown New York Knicks a crucial victory on Monday night.
Trump came under heavy criticism for attending the third game of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, forcing fans to wait for hours outside Madison Square Garden to get through Secret Service security.
The game was the first time the Knicks had hosted a game at Madison Square Garden since 1999, when they lost, coincidentally, to the Spurs.
The president received massive boos when the camera panned to him on the jumbotron during a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” He also received major criticism for causing the watch party outside the arena to be canceled.
During the game, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted at Trump, “WAKE TF UP.”
open image in galleryPresident Donald Trump appeared to fall asleep during the third game of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks. (AP)Ocasio-Cortez, the democratic socialist who represents the Bronx and Queens, told The Independent why she blamed Trump.
“You shut down all of midtown Manhattan, cancel every watch party so that you can show up, and then you're gonna sleep in MSG, one of the loudest arenas in the world?” she said. “That ticket cost way more than just the money, it cost everybody a good time, and I think it also cost the Knicks a win, because it's extremely distracting.”
The Knicks had been on a 13-game winning streak, with Ocasio-Cortez directly blaming Trump for the defeat, in addition to the refs not calling Victor Wembanyama for a flagrant foul on star point guard Jalen Brunson.
“He absolutely jinxed the Knicks,” she said. “They lost because of him, and because no one saw that foul on Jalen Brunson.”
open image in galleryRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) accused the president of jinxing the Knicks. (Getty)But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) disagreed despite her support for the Knicks.
“You cannot jinx the Knicks,” she told The Independent. The day of the game, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a diehard Knicks fan, delivered his press conference wearing a Knicks hat and accused the president, who grew up in Queens, of being a fake fan.
“And I think Knicks fans just want to enjoy game three, the first home game that we’ve had in 27 years,” he said. “ I mean, does this guy even know the difference between Karl Rove and Karl Anthony Towns? I don't think so. He's just injecting himself into the NBA Finals because he always has to bring the MAGA circus into town.”
Trump will reportedly not attend game four at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 8:30.
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New York KnicksAlexandria Ocasio-CortezHakeem JeffriesMadison Square GardenVictor WembanyamaKirsten GillibrandSan Antonio SpursJoin our commenting forum
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