Stephen A. Smith is looking at the future and recently gave his two cents on whether he would run against Donald Trump in the 2028 presidential elections. Smith has spent his entire career mostly behind ESPN desk, commenting on sports like basketball, football and baseball.
As an outspoken analyst, Smith has enjoyed a lot of praise from fans, especially with his “First Take” show. Now, Smith wants to give back to the community and he’s eyeing the biggest position in the country to do so.
During his appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Smith was asked whether he wants his political career to start as President of the United States. To this, Smith replied:
“Why not? The camera’s always on you. But not only that, the voice resonates. And if the voice resonates, you can have an impact.” (4:30)
Smith added:
“Why are some of these folks—look at the Republican Party right now. You look at a lot of the decisions that they make—Trump has them in the palm of his hands. Why? Because he could snap his fingers. He can turn his base against them. They know it. They’re scared of it. And they want to be career politicians instead of actually get things done. So, they’re at his mercy. Why? Because of his popularity and his ability to resonate with the masses.”
Stephen Smith thinks he can have the same effect. He said:
“I resonate with the masses. I believe I can resonate with the masses. And so, that’s what it is. It’s not hard.”
Could Stephen A. Smith Enter the 2028 Presidential Race?
It’s not the first time Stephen A. Smith has flirted with the idea of a political career. The analyst has used his platform to comment on social justice issues, voter turnout, and the responsibilities of Black leadership in America.
As per the US Constitution, Smith fulfills all the following requirements to run for the Oval Office.
- Be a natural-born U.S. citizen
- Be at least 35 years old
- Have resided in the U.S. for a minimum of 14 years
Smith will need to make a formal declaration, at least two years before the said elections to build momentum for the 2028 race. He’ll also need good funding along with being straight in terms of his objective and policies. Large donor contributions are vital for staff hire, travel, advertising, and broader campaign operations.
In May, Donald Trump was asked by News Nation about what he thinks about Smith running for office in the future.
“No, Stephen A.’s a good guy, he’s a smart guy,” Trump said. “I love watching him. He’s got great entertainment skills, which is very important. People watch him. You know, a lot of these Democrats I watch, I say they have no chance. I’ve been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates. And I will tell you, I’d love to see him run.”
At the moment, it seems unlikely that Smith will follow up on that idea but who knows how serious he is about the 2028 presidential elections.
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