Spike Lee isn’t interested in seeing the Knicks make a White House trip under Donald Trump, and he made that plain when the subject came up in a Variety interview.
The team’s most visible fan was asked about what the interviewer called “the current Knicks’ imbroglio,” and the conversation quickly turned to the White House. Knicks owner James Dolan has accepted an invitation, but Lee made it clear he doesn’t think the players should be dragged into it.
“Not going to the White House.”
“Yeah. Apparently, the team owner, James Dolan, who we know is a Trump pal, is trying to force them to visit the White House, but the team doesn’t want to.”
“He can’t force them! It’s been years since the last NBA team has gone.
They’re not going. I hope they don’t go!
I hope they don’t go.”
Dolan is said to be upset with Knicks players because they don’t want to go, and his comments after the team’s title run showed where he stands. Just days after New York ended its 53-year championship drought by beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals, Dolan said on WFAN New York that the invitation had already been accepted.
“As a matter of fact, thank you for asking me that, we did just receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN New York. “We still have to figure out the details, et cetera, but yes, of course.
Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend.
I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
Trump attended Game 3 of the Finals and was booed by the crowd.
The White House question has been a recurring one for NBA champions during Trump’s time in office. No NBA team visited during his first term.
He rescinded the Warriors’ invitation in 2017 after Stephen Curry said he didn’t want to go, then said in 2018 that neither Golden State nor the Cleveland Cavaliers were invited. The Warriors won the title and stayed away.
The Toronto Raptors also skipped the White House after winning in 2019, leaving NBA teams 0-3 in Trump’s first term.
Visits did resume under Joe Biden. The 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2022 Golden State Warriors and the 2024 Boston Celtics all went. The 2023 Denver Nuggets did not, citing scheduling issues, and the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers were not invited because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Trump began his second term in January 2025, and the Oklahoma City Thunder skipped a White House visit in March 2026 because of a timing issue.
Lee, who endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, is hoping the Knicks players don’t end up being pushed into a visit they don’t want. The team has other matters to handle too, after opening the 2026-27 NBA season with a 3-4 start.
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