A Tiktoker has shown the ‘craziest security he’s ever seen’ outside MSG as President Trump is set to attend the Knicks’ NBA finals game this evening (June 8).
Trump’s public appearances have faced heightened scrutiny following multiple reported threats during his 2024 campaign and his second term, including an incident said to have taken place at the White House Correspondents’ dinner in April.
With footage from that dinner raising questions about how an attacker, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, allegedly managed to get close with a deadly weapon, it’s understandable that future events involving the president would come with significantly tighter controls.
Trump is expected to be in attendance at Madison Square Garden (MSG) tonight (June 8) as the Knicks host an NBA finals game — the first time the finals have been staged at the venue since 1999.
Because the president is scheduled to attend, fans have been told to expect major restrictions, including a strict no-bag policy and enhanced screening on entry.
‘TSA-style screening procedures’
NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the extra precautions on Friday (June 5), saying:
“There should be extra security for the President of the United States to be at a game, but I think the fans are very understanding of that.
“I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event.”
Online, one creator has highlighted what he says is an unusually intense security footprint around the arena, claiming there is now a 60ft cage surrounding MSG.
Let’s take a lap around MSG and see what this security setup is like pic.twitter.com/0LlednFvS5
— GFed (@GfedGoCrazy) June 8, 2026
He also described seeing agents already inside the venue, adding:
“There is already Secret Service within the building, I have seen three or four of them already,” he noted.
The Tiktoker, who posts under @GfedGoCrazy, said attendees are being advised to arrive well ahead of time and that entry appears to be funnelled through a single obvious access point.
‘two hours early’
Even with the apparent buildup, he claimed the police presence currently covers only part of the site.
‘for now’
While some fans may be uneasy about the president attending such a major matchup, it would not be his first appearance at a high-profile sporting event during his second term.
He has previously attended the 2025 Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and the Ryder Cup without incident.
In New York, the scale of the operation reportedly prompted the NYPD and Secret Service to scrap a planned watch party outside MSG amid additional security concerns.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed the change at a news conference, stating:
“We are looking forward to bringing back watch parties for Game 4.
“But I think New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that that generally means lockdowns of areas and that’s what you’re going to see tonight at the Garden.”