Stephen A. Smith has apologized for saying that black people’s sympathy for President Trump is in part due to persecution by the justice system.
ESPN’s Attention Machine appeared on a podcast broadcast Monday and said that the numerous legal trials the former president is undergoing will endear him to black people such as the various civil rights groups that have gone after him. and media personalities. similarly persecuted.
“I’m going to say what may be the most offensive thing I’ve ever had to say from a political standpoint,” Smith said on last week’s show. Hannity. “But I have to say one thing: People may have hated Donald Trump’s statements a few weeks ago about how black people are, but what he’s going through is I hear that black people empathize with him because it’s similar to what black Americans are going through. He wasn’t lying! He was telling the truth.”
🚨#breaking news: Stephen A. Smith: “Seeing this law being used against Donald Trump is something black people can relate to.” pic.twitter.com/Nu3wnV5Bkq
— Andy Hidalgo (@realandyhidalgo) April 19, 2024
On Monday, Smith tried to clear the air.
“It seems like a lot of black people in America, from friends and loved ones to colleagues and contemporaries, and even, dare I say it, the NAACP itself, are pretty angry with me right now. It was interpreted as linking support for Trump from the community to all the legal issues facing Trump, and many people were disgusted, if not outright offended. I sincerely apologize for that. To be clear, my words were misunderstood.”
NEW: Stephen A. Smith has retracted his positive comments about Donald Trump that went viral last week and said he is sorry.
every time.
Smith said black people can empathize with Trump because of the injustices he faces, but now he says his comments… pic.twitter.com/KhjyTdakPC
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 23, 2024
But shortly after stepping back in deference to his critics, Smith went on to list several polls and surveys showing that Black people were actually increasing their support for the former president.
Smith emphasized that he considered the “facts” before expressing his opinion, and that momentum toward Trump among black people was certainly changing.
However, most of the reactions regarding X were unsympathetic to Smith.
Of course, he’s currently being tracked down. Why do people give in to angry mobs instead of doubling down?
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) April 23, 2024
ESPN has reached out to him. He probably threatened to fire me…
— Mike Sperrazza (@MikeASperrazza) April 23, 2024
Smith is a coward.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) April 24, 2024
Stephen A. Smith is a spineless coward.
He was bullied into changing his tune.
We all know that President Trump is currently facing grave injustice.
To deny that in any way is to ignore reality.
Smith should be ashamed of himself for not standing by what he said in the first place.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 23, 2024
It could be argued that Mr. Smith’s apology was actually a stronger show of support than his initial interview. Hannity. Despite the setback, Smith used the X platform to inform his nearly 6 million followers about important changes in key voting blocs that Democrats cannot afford to lose. If the polls Smith cited are correct, they could herald a historic shift in the Democratic Party’s most consistently loyal demographic.
After all, Smith wasn’t saying he’d vote for Trump. All he said was that more black people could relate to him. And whether it’s because of Trump’s legal battles or simply because life was clearly better when he was president, Trump seems to be absolutely right.
