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Stephen A Smith finally rules himself out of presidential bid: ‘Have to give up a lot of money to do that'
Sports broadcaster Stephen A Smith has said that he has "no desire" to run for office after months of flirting with the idea, saying he would "have to give up a lot of money."
On Monday night, the ESPN star told Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, he would prefer to be a "hell raiser" and is not looking to run for president in 2028.
'The way I look at it, the money that I have earned working my ass off all of these years now, I would have to curry favor, which means I would be owned. And I ain't having that, so I'm not interested in that at all,' he said.
Smith had previously hinted at a possible political run, saying earlier this year that he was "leaving all doors open" for a potential presidential run, The Hill reports.
In April, President Donald Trump said during a NewsNation town hall that he'd "love" to see Smith run for office.
Smith said he was more interested in being a voice for change than filling a chair in the Oval Office.
'I want to be a major player in terms of a voice and a conduit for change,' he said. 'I want to make sure that people know that the BS has got to stop!'
He said he wants to "make sure people are uncomfortable and that they not going to get away with the BS that they been getting away with,"
'I think the politicians in this country have served to divide us and paint us against one another for their own selfish deeds, and I think that they have contributed to the demise of this country,' he said.
Smith has previously criticized both Trump and the Democratic Party following its electoral defeat in 2024.
He previously said he did not like "what I'm seeing" with Trump, but noted that "I'm not surprised." Smith also took shots at the Democrats, saying that they 'talk and they talk and they talk" but then they "position themselves to do absolutely nothing."
'So I don't mind calling them out at all. I don't give a damn who it is: It could be a councilman, it could be a mayor, it could be a governor, it could be a senator or a representative, the president himself,' Smith told Stewart, earning him applause. 'I could care less: Whoever needs to go, needs to go.'
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