Whoopi Goldberg Defends Trump at NBA Finals

Whoopi Goldberg recently stood up for President Donald Trump during a discussion on his show, The View, while at Game 3 of the NBA Finals, featuring the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.

Goldberg addressed the backlash surrounding Trump’s presence at the game, emphasizing his loyalty as a lifelong Knicks fan. “I think any Knicks fan should come there,” she remarked. “You’ve earned your rights as a Knicks fan. I don’t have to like you,” she added, making it clear that personal feelings shouldn’t overshadow fan loyalty.

In response to a clip showing fans protesting Trump and New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani attending the game, Goldberg noted their longstanding ties to the Knicks. “I’m sorry. Mr. Trump and Mayor Mamdani were and still are Knicks fans. They are New Yorkers,” she stated. “And… there’s nothing either of them can do to change what’s going on in this city for this team.”

Trump mentioned he was invited to the game by team owner James Dolan, saying, “I’ve been a long-time Knicks fan and a Jim Dolan fan. He’s a nice guy. The answer is, yes, he invited me, so I’m going.”

When asked whether Trump’s attendance could “jinx” the game, Goldberg dismissed the idea, expressing confidence in the team: “You know, I don’t think you can jinx anything. I think they’re on a mission.”

Co-host Alyssa Farrar Griffin, however, suggested that some superstitious fans might see it differently if the Knicks were to lose, advising, “If I were to give him advice, I would say don’t go, because if we lose tonight, we all lose—” to which Hostin joked, “jinx!”

Sadly for Knicks supporters, the team lost to the Spurs that night, prompting discussions online about whether Trump’s presence might have brought bad luck.

In May, Trump revealed he had been invited to the Eastern Conference Finals. He expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I was supposed to go on Wednesday, but it closed quickly. They’re great, and Jim Dolan is a great guy–you know, he’s the owner and manager of Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year.”

He reflected on the team’s performance, adding, “Hey, what a team! They can win every game. They’ve got some really great players. Yeah, I think I’ll go to one of the games… The Knicks have really, really struggled for years and they’re doing really well right now.”

Notably, in 2025, Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.