Stephen A. Smith has apologized following his controversial statements last week on Fox News, where he attempted to equate Donald Trump’s mounting legal problems with the historic struggles of Black people, sparking outrage on social media, mainly among civil rights advocates.
Four days after his disastrous comments, Smith addressed the growing backlash in a five-minute video apology, saying he wanted to hold himself accountable for comparing Trump’s legal plight “to what Black Americans have gone through,” while he also cited “historic and iconic” Black figures during his eyebrow-raising interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on April 18.
However, Smith’s apology may have backfired, as many social media users criticized him for trying to insult the intelligence of Black people, with many accusing him of pandering to Fox News’ white audience.
During the forgettable segment with Hannity, Smith expressed support for Trump while suggesting the timing of the criminal hush money trial, which began April 22, was orchestrated to disrupt the 2024 election and sabotage the former president’s chances to take back the Oval Office.
The trial is beginning a full year after Trump was indicted on April 3, 2023.
The tone-deaf moment by Smith prompted a swift rebuke from a number of prominent Black activists, including Bishop Talbert Swan, a pastor known for his outspokenness on issues related to racial justice and social equality, who blasted Smith for his “irresponsible remarks.
Swan, who leads Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the local chapter of the NAACP, scolded Smith on the platform X, saying, “Stephen, you should be ashamed and embarrassed.”
Days later, Smith sought to set the record straight by issuing a long-winded explanation on his podcast, which he later shared on his social media pages.
“A lot of folks in Black America seem pretty pissed at me right now, from friends and loved ones to colleagues, contemporaries, and dare I say even the NAACP itself,” Smith said during Tuesday night’s episode of the “Stephen A. Smith Show” podcast. “Quite a few folks were put off, if not flat out offended after my words were interpreted as associating support for Trump from the Black community with all the legal issues he’s facing. For that, I sincerely apologize.”
But Smith still refused to take full responsibility, saying, “my words were misconstrued.”
“To be clear, my words were misconstrued,” Smith said matter-of-factly. “I’m stating right here for the record that my words were taken out of context. This representing and depicting me in a way I found every bit as insulting and disrespectful as folks in Black America evidently felt about what they thought I said, but I’ll own it anyway. Because you know, please know that I know the buck stops with me.”
During the Hannity interview, Smith started out by complaining that Democrats were pursuing the hush money case because he felt they were otherwise unable to stop Trump’s momentum, particularly among Black voters. Smith then accused Democrats of doing whatever it took to bog down the Republican frontrunner and pave the way for President Joe Biden’s reelection in November.
Known for his contrarian viewpoints, Smith then said Trump’s struggle was similar to the racism Black people have experienced throughout history, which Smith claimed was increasing Trump’s appeal with Black voters.
Bishop Swan circled back to X after Smith’s apology with another scathing rebuke.
“Since you’re claiming we misconstrued your words, enlighten us. Which of our historic, iconic figures (your words), that were persecuted by law-enforcement, do Black people relate to Donald Trump:,” Swan began his post before naming a few civil rights leaders and freedom fighters including Martin Luther King Jr. and Fred Hampton.
“Which one of them, who suffered fighting for the rights and the humanity of Black people, is best to compare with someone being prosecuted for illegally paying hush money to a porn star he had sex with,’ he questioned, adding, “I’ll wait…”
Ok @stephenasmith
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) April 23, 2024
Since you’re claiming we misconstrued your words, enlighten us. Which ofour historic, iconic figures (your words), that were persecuted by law-enforcement, do Black people relate to Donald Trump:
Nelson Mandela?
Martin Luther King Jr.?
The Black Panther… pic.twitter.com/WqI5g0zKm5
Still, Smith maintains that his words were misinterpreted.
“I’m in the communication business. I’ve been here for 30 years. So regardless of whatever interpretation that accompanies any words coming out of my mouth, the responsibility ultimately lies with me first and foremost before anybody else. I’ve always felt that way.”
During the apology, Smith took a toned-down approach and stayed away from the usual combative rhetoric that made him famous.
Now away from Fox News and speaking to Black America, Smith attempted to call Trump out for his past lies, and he briefly mentioned the birther controversy — a baseless conspiracy theory ignited years ago by Trump that falsely claimed former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya. But in his next breath, Smith pointed out that “Trump recanted the statement during his 2016 campaign run for the presidency.”
Smith then attempted to fact-check some of the comments he made during his sit-down with Hannity, citing five national election polls that showed Trump beating Biden, including in the critical battleground states.
From there, Smith began naming off several prominent news outlets and their recently published stories that pointed to Trump’s increasing appeal with Black voters.
“Because I wanted to show you I didn’t just open my mouth. I read, I listened, and I’ve seen a momentum shift as we all have,” Smith proclaimed. “Anywhere I appear, no matter my subjectivity relating to what I feel, is still going to be based on facts being presented into the stratosphere. That is who I’ve always been. It is what I will always continue to be. But it’s never exercised with malice in my heart and soul.”
While Trump appears to be gaining more support in the polls from Black voters than when he first faced off with Biden in 2020, Biden still has more support from Black Americans than his Republican challenger. A recent poll by the Wall Street Journal and a series of previous reports, shows Biden is losing some of the support of Black voters – mostly Black men.
The WSJ poll of voters from seven swing states, published on April 11, shows that 30 percent of Black men said they plan to vote for Trump in the upcoming election, which is more than double the 12 percent of Black men nationwide who cast a vote for the Republican candidate in 2020.
Trump has also gained momentum among Black women, with 11 percent of voters saying they’ll pick his name at the ballot box. Just 6 percent of Black women nationwide voted for the New York businessman in 2020.
Still, the WSJ poll suggests that Biden’s biggest challenge is winning over 40 percent of Black female voters who are currently undecided, considering selecting an independent candidate, or staying home on election day. That leaves less than half of Black women in the swing states showing strong support for Biden, while 57 percent of Black men said they will be picking the Democratic candidate.
Some Black voters are parting ways from Biden over his response to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, while some Black Americans believe the Democratic president hasn’t done enough to directly address issues in the community.
Black men, specifically, have felt excluded from conversations and policies that seem to be heavily focused on Black women instead of Black people. Hillary Clinton and Stacey Abrams faced similar issues.
While apologizing Smith expressed oneness with the Black community, saying, “It’s certainly never to insult or harm the Black community. My community.
“My thoughts are put out there to present views,” he continued. “I believe a pertinent that alerts us to what’s going on, what missteps may be taking place, and how, if at all, they could be corrected. I hope everyone can understand and appreciate my intent, if nothing else, as we march forward right here with the ‘Stephen A Smith Show.’ And just because my intent was harmless doesn’t mean my words were harmless, and I know that.”
“I can always do better, and I’ll strive to do just that every single day that I’m alive.”
But social media users were not in the mood for any of Smith’s excuses.
“This is an insult to Black folks’ intelligence! And @stephenasmith should be ashamed of himself, doubling down on this BS!” wrote one Democratic supporter on X. “We know what you said! Repeating BOGUS ASS POLLS & HEADLINES as facts is pandering to white ppl. Lying polls/headlines had Black voters not supporting Obama!”
Another X user called out Smith for trying to gaslight the Black community by glossing over the more serious issue that he had disrespected iconic Black leaders.
“If you have to explain yourself in a video about your words were ‘taken out of context’ by equating Trump’s legal woes to Black people being treated unfairly by the justice system, then you are losing the argument,” wrote The Chanteezy Is Real.
One user added, “Got him. Dead to rights. Stephen A is so shameful and dare I say PATHETIC”
Another user with the handle “Chris Evans” got in Smith’s virtual face and said, “You lied.”
“This is your now SECOND attempt to walk back you booty clapping for a white supremacist,” he wrote. “Just hang it up, and stick your Mr. Potato Head looking ass to sports.”
