ESPN commentator and television personality Stephen A. Smith says he is considering a presidential run, according to CBS Sunday Morning.
Smith, the boisterous sports analyst known for his animated reactions and hot takes, might be dipping his toes into politics, according to CBS Sunday Morning national correspondent Robert Costa.
Costa, 40, wrote in a post to X on Friday that during Smith’s appearance on the news program on February 15, he will reveal why he is considering entering the Democratic presidential primary.
“I will confess to you, I’m giving strong consideration to being on that debate stage for 2027,” Smith said, according to Costa. “I’ve got this year coming up 2026, to think about it, to study, to know the issues.”
Smith, 58, has hinted about a potential foray into politics before.
At a National Association of Broadcasters event in Las Vegas last April, the First Take host said he would “entertain the possibility” of getting more politically involved, and said that he has a “legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States.”
“I’ve been approached by people on Capitol Hill,” he said. “I’ve been approached by people who are elected officials in office… people have legitimately, seriously, asked me about it.”
Smith added in an X post that it was, “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.”
The hot-take specialist is confident he could give Democrats a run for their money even though he is “not qualified,” saying so during an appearance on The View last March.
“I make of it that citizens, particularly on the left, are desperate,” he said in response to a question about his favorability in comparison to other potential candidates, like John Fetterman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, by host Alyssa Farah Griffin. “And I mean it when I say it: I think I can beat them all.”
Smith has also made it clear how he feels about the second Trump administration.
“To all the Republicans out there, to all the conservatives out there, you’re about to lose the midterms. You’re going to lose,” he said during a January episode of Straight Shooter with Stephen A. “And you might lose the presidency in 2028, and it’s going to be at the fault of your president, Donald Trump.”
“It’s so bad right now,” he continued, referring to the administration’s loss of faith among even its most prominent supporters. “Even the godfather of podcasting, Joe Rogan, who endorsed Donald Trump right before the 2024 election, has spoken out about him.”
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