Spike Lee hopes the Knicks won't visit the White House, warns owner 'can’t force them'
Spike Lee at The 2026 NBA All-Star Game held at the Intuit Dome on Feb. 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)
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Director Spike Lee told Variety he hopes the New York Knicks will refuse to meet with President Donald Trump, as other teams have done after winning championships.
The Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the championship series in June, ending a 53-year title drought for the franchise. Lee, a devoted Knicks fan and critic of Trump, was asked by Variety's Marlow Stern about reports that some players did not want to visit the White House and would rather skip the longstanding tradition.
"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," Stern told Lee.
Spike Lee said he hopes the Knicks will not attend a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, saying that team owner James Dolan cannot force them to go. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
"He can’t force them!" Lee replied. "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."
"Trump also messed up Game 3 of the Finals for the Knicks," Stern argued. "They’d won 13 playoff games in a row until Dolan invited Trump to the game and ruined their mojo."
"That was not just an accident!" Lee responded.
They were referring to how Trump, a native New Yorker and longtime Knicks fan, was invited to attend the game at Madison Square Garden by Dolan. The Spurs won the game that day, and many New Yorkers, including "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin, blamed the Knicks’ loss on Trump’s attendance.
CARDI B CLAIMS DONALD TRUMP’S ATTENDANCE BROUGHT A 'DARK' ENERGY TO NBA FINALS GAME 3
President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on June 8, 2026, in New York City. Trump was joined by his granddaughter Kai Trump, Knicks owner James Dolan, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Elizabeth Pipko, host of "Made in America with Elizabeth Pipko" and a former Republican National Committee national spokesperson, told Fox News Digital, "Of course, none of these players should ever be forced to do something they don't want to do. But I think there's a much bigger lesson here, especially for young Americans, and it's one Stephen A. Smith articulated very well after facing criticism for having dinner with President Trump."
"You don't have to agree with the president, you don't even have to like him," she continued. "But he is the President of the United States. And if you genuinely care about bringing Americans together, finding solutions, or improving the lives of people in your community, you have to be willing to sit down with people you disagree with."
"This is a lesson that’s incredibly important for young men to learn," Pipko added. "These are individuals who have large followings and should be focusing on inspiring the next generation and teaching them about what matters. Spike Lee's position puts political opposition ahead of an opportunity for dialogue, change, or opportunity. Nothing gets accomplished by staying home, refusing to engage, and acting as though you're somehow morally superior to people who disagree with you."
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New York Knicks owner James Dolan is interviewed by ESPN broadcaster Ernie Johnson during the trophy ceremony after Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 13, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for the Knicks and the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Alexander.hall@fox.com.
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