Whoopi Goldberg's Shock 180: 'The View' Co-Host Defends Trump Attending Knicks NBA Finals Game — As She Insists Prez Won't Be a Distraction
June 8 2026, Published 2:34 p.m. ET
Fierce MAGA critic Whoopi Goldberg appeared to find unexpected common ground with Donald Trump over their shared support for the New York Knicks, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On the Monday, June 8, installment of The View, she defended Trump's decision to go to the highly-anticipated NBA finals game and argued that he wouldn't be a distraction to other attendees.
'They're New Yorkers'
Whoopi Goldberg agreed with Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani's decision to attend the basketball game.
Goldberg, 70, claimed that both Trump, 79, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's decision to attend the sporting event made sense because "they're New Yorkers" and "Knicks fans."
Ana Navarro cut in, suggesting Trump could serve as a "jinx" for the basketball team, but Goldberg disagreed.
"There’s nothing either one of them can do to change what’s happening in the city for this team. They’re there. OK?" the Sister Act star said. "I don’t think anything can jinx anything,” she continued. “I think [the Knicks] are on a mission. They have been winning and doing everything and you could be butt naked up in the box and ain’t nobody paying attention."
No Time for Don Jr. But Time for Basketball?
Donald Trump did not go to his son Donald Jr.'s wedding in the Bahamas.
Navarro, 54, still wasn't sold as she openly questioned why he "didn’t have the time to go to Donald Trump Jr.‘s wedding" in the Bahamas because of the ongoing conflict with Iran, but "now that the strikes are raging again between Israel and Iran, he’s coming here for this game?"
Taking her criticism a step further, she suggested Trump may no longer count as a New Yorker.
"He was a New Yorker but they hate him so much here because he’s fleeing the taxes," she claimed. "He’s now a Floridian."
Trump officially named his Mar-a-Lago home his permanent primary residence in 2019.
Goldberg replied, "I was a Californian. I lived in California. I went to the Laker games. But I have always been, at my core, because I’m from here, I have always been a Knicks fan. And when you have always been a Knicks fan, it doesn’t matter where you live. I’ve loved all of the Knicks since I can remember."
Security Increased at Knicks Game
Sara Haines and Sunny Hostin pointed out additional security concerns at the game.
Sara Haines pointed out that both Trump and Mamdani going to the game could cause major security issues for the average attendee.
"This is why we can’t always have nice things," she lamented. "Everyone that is from New York and all the implants like myself are going, and I just think it added a lot of chaos to something that the people have been waiting for for 27 years."
The last time the Knicks were in the finals was in 1999.
Sunny Hostin appeared to agree, adding: "If I scraped up $10,000 to buy tickets to the game, I don’t want two hours of a security line. You can’t bring your bag. You got to take your shoes off like it’s TSA. I don’t think he should come."
'Anyone Who's a Knicks Fan Should Be There'
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Whoopi Goldberg said Knicks fans 'earn the right' to be at the finals game.
But Goldberg was undeterred in her opinion that "anyone who’s a Knicks fan should be there."
"You earn the right as a Knicks fan. I don’t care who you are. I don’t have to like you, I don’t have to dig you. If I was as big as them, I’d still be going," she continued. "All we need to concentrate on is putting our good energy towards the Knicks. That’s what this is about."
