(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) ESPN and podcast host Stephen A. Smith broke his silence Monday about growing rumors that he is considering a run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028.
In an X post that has garnered more than 1 million views, Smith declared that he is fed up with the status quo and is considering all options, including mounting a presidential campaign.
“Time to stop messing around,” he wrote. “Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open.”
Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess.
So I’m officially leaving all doors open https://t.co/n6BmAOKjiv
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 7, 2025
Smith has previously flirted with the idea of running for president since President Donald Trump resoundingly defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. At NAB Show in Las Vegas, he allegedly said he has “no choice but to get more serious about it.”
“I’ve been approached by people on Capitol Hill. I’ve been approached by people who are elected officials in office—whether it’s governors or mayors. … I have no desire to be a politician, but I’ve decided that I’m no longer going to close that door,” Smith claimed.
He continued, “I’m gonna keep my options open. I’m going to entertain the possibility. If it comes in late 2026, 2027, where I look at this country and think it’s an absolute mess and there’s legitimate reason to believe … that I indeed have a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States. I am not going to rule it out.”
Smith’s remarks come months after he repeatedly rebuked the Democratic Party over its failed policies.
For instance, Smith pressed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries over the party’s hatred of President Donald Trump, arguing that despite Trump’s impeachments and criminal record, he was still reelected.
In another example, he ripped the left for repeatedly downplaying inconvenient facts as conspiracy theories.
“I’m really, really sick and tired of every time I turn around, finding something else that the Democrats have lied about, or downplayed or misrepresented along the way,” Smith said.
His comments followed the DOJ’s Inspector General affirming that there were 26 FBI informants at the January 6, 2021, protests.
“We didn’t hear anything about that before the election… [nor] when the ‘insurrection’ was broached by Vice President Kamala Harris … by President Biden before her, by Democrats in both the House and Senate, as they articulated the belief that Donald Trump was a danger to democracy and using this as a profound, illuminating bullet point to make that case,” Smith stated.
He continued, “And now, here we are again, finding even more evidence to Donald Trump’s claim when he articulated: ‘The process is rigged. The Democrats are this or that, talking about us, but look at what they do.’”
