>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
“Now, three years from now, if I change my mind, that would be a change,” he added. “I want to continue to get paid, to be successful, without the scrutiny of tens of millions of American citizens who might not like my positions on the border, the economy, health care, or something else. I’d rather not have that problem. But if desperate times call for desperate measures and enough people come my way, I’ll leave the door open for the possibility [to run].”
Smith’s political musings aren’t coming out of nowhere. Earlier this month, he revealed that an army of supporters — including elected officials and wealthy donors — have been encouraging him to consider a run.
“I have no choice because I’ve had elected officials, and I’m not going to give their names—elected officials coming up to me,” Smith explained to ABC News’ “This Week.” He also noted, “I’ve had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature.”
Despite the political pressure, Smith confessed he’s never dreamed of being a politician. “I’m not a politician. I’ve never had a desire to be a politician,” he admitted.
For years, Smith has been a fixture in sports media, known for his bombastic takes. But recently, he’s been dipping deeper into politics, criticizing both sides of the aisle — especially those he believes handed Donald Trump an easy victory.
Though he flirts with the idea of running, Smith remains hopeful that a stronger, more experienced candidate will emerge. “I would hope somebody else would step up that’s more qualified than me, but if it has to come down to me, it is something I would consider,” he said, according to The New York Post.
Last week, Smith made even more headlines by announcing he could “no longer rule out” the possibility of a 2028 bid.
“Here’s the reality: People, literally people, have walked up to me, including my own pastor, for crying out loud, who has said to me, ‘You don’t know what God has planned for you,’” Smith shared. His pastor encouraged him to respect “the people who believe” in him — a powerful message that Smith says he’s taking seriously.
Smith, who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, now expresses deep regret over that decision. During a segment on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” he didn’t hold back in blasting the former vice president’s questionable rise to the nomination.
“Kamala Harris, who didn’t resonate during the primaries in 2020, couldn’t even get to Iowa, suddenly is the Democratic nominee, then you roll up to the convention in Chicago, and everybody is like ‘She’s a rockstar!’ So it’s like, ‘How’d that happen?” Smith questioned.
Reflecting on his 2024 vote, he didn’t mince words: “Yes, I voted for her, a lot of people voted for her, but in the end, we end up feeling like d— fools because we supported it, we fell for ‘the okiedoke’ as they say. If you had a primary, the likelihood is she would not have been the Democratic nominee.”
Just Released: Trump White House Collector’s Bobblehead!
Although Smith has slammed Democrats for their failures, he’s hardly given President Trump a free pass. He criticized Trump’s trade policies, saying, “I don’t like what I’m seeing, but I’m not surprised. I mean, this whole tariff war situation is utterly ridiculous. He should have immediately targeted China and not every nation on the planet, for crying out loud.”
Still, Smith admitted, “There doesn’t appear to be a plan. Let’s be, let’s be very, very clear about that. But in the end, you know, what you have to applaud them for is for trying something.”
Ultimately, Smith said his biggest problem with the Democrat Party today is simple: they’re all talk and no action. “They talk and they talk and they talk,” Smith said, but in his view, they accomplish little of real substance to help the American people.
As 2028 draws closer, it’s clear that Stephen A. Smith is not just another media personality — he’s becoming a voice for Americans fed up with political business as usual.
