(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) ESPN personality and podcast host Stephen A. Smith has for months flirted with the idea of running for president in 2028, but on Sunday, he offered his strongest signal yet that he may enter the race.
Appearing on CBS News Sunday Morning, Smith said he is giving “strong consideration” to seeking the Democratic nomination ahead of the 2028 general election.
“I will confess to you: I’m giving strong consideration to being on that debate stage for 2027,” Smith told CBS host Robert Costa, referring to the first primary debate.
“I’ve got this year coming up, 2026, to think about it, to study, to know the issues, etc., because I don’t know everything. But I am going to spend this year thinking about that before I make a decision as to what I want to do,” Smith added.
Costa jokingly responded that Smith had “only had a few thousand debate practices over the last few years, right, every morning?”
The ESPN host replied, “I’m not worried about a debate one bit. Not even a little bit.”
Sunday’s comments are the latest indication that he could enter the race. He has also said he would run if he saw candidates he views as unfit.
“I hope somebody from the Democratic Party steps up. I hope I light a fire under them and get a more qualified individual in this mix, so people can stop asking me this stuff and I can enjoy my life,” Smith said during an interview on Fox News’s Hannity in April 2025.
Smith’s talk of a presidential bid has been well-received even by President Donald Trump.
“I love watching him. He’s got great entertainment skills, which is very important. People watch him,” Trump said during a NewsNation town hall in 2025. “I’ve been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates, and I will tell you, I’d love to see him run.”
