Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith criticized President Donald Trump’s planned appearance at Game 3 of the NBA finals on Monday, calling the visit “narcissistic” and arguing the president’s attendance creates unnecessary security disruptions during one of New York City’s biggest sporting events. Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Smith said Trump’s presence at Madison Square Garden would worsen traffic and congestion in a city already dealing with large crowds attending the New York Knicks’ first NBA Finals home game in decades. “The president has no business showing up in New York City,” Smith said. “I am dead serious. It is selfish, it is narcissistic, it is ridiculous that he is coming to this game.”
Smith said his criticism was not partisan and that he would make the same argument regardless of which president occupied the White House.
“I would say the same thing with Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton,” Smith said. “I don’t give a damn.”
Trump is expected to attend Game 3 between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. The visit has prompted heightened security measures from the Secret Service, the New York Police Department, and other federal and local agencies.
Road closures, traffic restrictions, and additional security screenings have been implemented around the arena and throughout parts of Midtown Manhattan. Motorcade routes are typically secured before a presidential arrival, while access points around the venue are restricted to credentialed personnel and ticket holders.
