Stephan A. Smith expressed his reaction to President Donald Trump's statement that he would "love to see" him run for the White House. Smith acknowledged that the president may have meant Republicans believed he would be an easy opponent to defeat.
"I'm not prepared," stated Smith, an ESPN personality who is being considered as a potential 2028 candidate. "I'm not qualified. I have no political history whatsoever. I've never been interested in politics a day in my life." Despite this, he mentioned that people have been encouraging him to consider running for the highest office.
"You never know what God has planned for you," he added.
Smith mentioned that he would run for president as a Democrat, believing that someone like him could win "by default" due to the current state of American politics. He criticized both Democrats and Republicans for not addressing the needs of the American people.
"They're trying to pay their mortgages, rent, buy food and groceries, pay gas, and cope with the cost of living," Smith explained. "And they want safety in the streets. That's primarily what most American citizens are concerned about. Trying to live in peace and harmony, and that's not something that I think either side has promoted along the way."
During a brief appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" show, Smith expressed his discontent with the Democratic Party and indicated that it would require a purge. He refrained from naming specific individuals but criticized the liberal wing of the party.
Smith described himself as a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, while also condemning the left's views on transgender inclusion as damaging to the nation. He expressed concern that people were afraid of losing their jobs if they used the wrong pronoun.
Trump's remarks about Smith running for president were made during a NewsNation town hall on April 30. Smith was part of a panel questioning Trump.
"I love watching him. He's got great entertainment skills, which is very important. People watch him," Trump remarked. "I've been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates, and I will tell you, I'd love to see him run."
The Democratic Party is currently revamping its messaging after facing criticism from its base. In the 2024 elections, they struggled to connect with young men, who tend to lean more conservative than young women.
Smith, with a large following on various media platforms, is known for his outspoken and sometimes controversial "hot take" style of debate, which Trump's allies believe would be effective in a political campaign.