Stephen A. Smith Says He’s Now Considering A 2028 Presidential Run

Stephen A. Smith isn’t jumping into politics just yet—but he’s not ruling it out either.

While speaking at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, the outspoken ESPN star said he’s starting to take the idea of running for president in 2028 a bit more seriously. “I’ve got a good life. I don’t want to be a politician,” he said. “But I won’t close the door.” According to Smith, people have been pressing him more and more about stepping into the political arena, and it’s made him think twice.

He joked about how much he’d enjoy going toe-to-toe with politicians in a debate. “This is what I do,” Smith said. “I don’t have a political record they can come for, but I can challenge what they say in real time.” He name-dropped folks like Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Gavin Newsom, and Josh Shapiro as potential 2028 contenders, and said they’d all have some explaining to do if he were to step on that stage.

Smith also weighed in on issues like tariffs, saying he’s not against them entirely—but criticized how Trump went about implementing them, calling it sloppy and lacking strategy. “It just seems random. That’s not helping us move forward,” he said.

Even though politics isn’t his first love, Smith admitted that if he ever got serious about running, he’d need to study up for a few months. But don’t expect any announcements anytime soon—he said he’ll wait until at least late 2026 before making a final decision.

Right now, Smith’s got plenty going on. He recently signed a $100 million deal with ESPN, has a popular radio show, and is preparing for ESPN’s new streaming service. He also reflected on the state of college sports, acknowledging it’s not perfect but better than the old system that left athletes underpaid.

And for those coming up in the game? Smith had some tough-love advice: “Stop chasing the hype. Put in the work.” He shared stories of his early grind—including a long commute for a radio gig and the hard lessons he learned after being fired from ESPN. One of those lessons came from his mother, who reminded him to take responsibility instead of blaming others. “That was a turning point for me,” he said.

At the end of the day, Stephen A. might not be ready to run for president—but if he ever does, he wants folks to know he’s coming in swinging.

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