ESPN host Stephen A. Smith opened up about his view of former President Donald Trump.
While speaking at the Semafor Media Summit on Monday, Smith explained, “I knew Trump before he ran for the presidency. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to him. He was a huge sports fan. He used to throw a lot of events at … you know, at his casinos and stuff like that, and I genuinely liked them.”
He continued, “I didn’t know who this guy was running for president. I think he’s changed, but I will tell you this: I think when people call him racist and stuff like that, I’ve never thought of Trump that way. It’s not, he’s not against Black people.”
According to Smith, “He’s against all things not named Trump.”
Watch Smith’s remarks below:
.@stephenasmith says he no longer talks to Trump: "I think he's changed, but I will tell you this: I think when people call him racist and stuff like that, I've never thought of Trump that way. He's not against black people, he's against all things not named Trump." pic.twitter.com/oFcOra6zkL
— Semafor (@semafor) April 10, 2023
Smith has not been shy about speaking out on the world of politics.
During an interview with Mediaite in March, Smith was asked whether he would consider running for office.
“No. No. You know why? Because I got to run for election. It’s not the job. It’s the campaign,” Smith said.
He even commented on CNN host Don Lemon’s controversial remarks about former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
“That hurt me because I like Don Lemon. Don Lemon, I’ve been on his show on several occasions. He’s interviewed me many times. I thought he had a good show on CNN following Cuomo … What Don Lemon said was incredibly irresponsible and incredibly wrong,” Smith said.
He continued, “This is a presidential candidate and a former governor, the first lady of a state. What are you talking about, she’s beyond her prime? What’s the matter with you? You know, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was in the Supreme Court until her 80s … It made absolutely, positively no sense.”
According to his bio page, Smith is a featured commentator and executive producer for the network’s “First Take” weekdays.