ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith recounted his White House interview with President Donald Trump during a Thursday appearance on “Hannity,” while warning Democrats about the growing influence of the party’s far-left wing.
Smith said he and Trump discussed the GOP’s “devastating” midterm losses during their wide-ranging, 40-minute conversation. He also criticized Trump for refusing to accept responsibility, describing the president as “immovable” on the issue.
“We talked about the devastating losses in the midterms and how the GOP essentially got slaughtered,” Smith told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“I asked him, is he willing to point the finger at himself, and he was dogged… he was immovable in that regard,” he added.
Trump repeatedly urged Americans during his midterm campaign blitz to vote as though he were on the ballot. Smith said the president distanced himself from that argument during their White House meeting.
“He said, ‘I wasn’t on the ballot.’ I said, ‘That makes absolutely no sense, Mr. President. You said, put you on a ballot. That’s what you told the American people to do.’ He said, ‘Well, they didn’t do it.’ I said, ‘Well, what if they did do it and that was the reason you lost,’” Smith explained.
“He refused to accept that,” Smith continued. “His attitude is that the candidates were not that great. If it were him that was running, this would not have happened. That’s his mentality.”
Smith said he disagreed with Trump’s assessment of the midterms, arguing that the Democratic gains reflected voters’ dissatisfaction with the president’s performance.
“I think that he is somebody that is convinced his way is what it is. I just don’t agree with him,” Smith said.
“I think the American people made a statement against what they were seeing from him in terms of him not having his eye on the ball and coming across as a bit detached in their eyes,” he added.
Smith told Fox News that Trump also pushed back when they discussed the effect of the Iran War and tariffs on voters and the economy. The commentator also addressed speculation that Trump had offered him the position of White House press secretary.
“That was absolutely hilarious,” Smith said. “Evidently, they don’t know about the life that I live and the kind of affluence that ESPN and Disney have blessed me with.”
“I wouldn’t take that pay cut for almost anything but the presidency,” he continued. “That ain’t happening. Press secretary? Please.”
Smith, who has criticized both Republicans and Democrats, said the Democratic Party is facing a significant challenge from its far-left wing.
“I definitely think that right now, the Democrats have a challenge on their hands because clearly there’s a lot of people out there that view the Democratic Party as a divided party,” he said. “Now they will tell you they’re a very big tent and there’s room for everybody, but I think that the progressive left has shown you there isn’t room for everybody.”
“If you’re not willing to capitulate to their desires, their wishes and their ideological beliefs 100%, then they got a problem with you,” he added.
Smith also criticized Democrats who have turned down interviews and said he appreciated Trump’s willingness to speak with him.
“[Trump] was just very rigid and immovable in his thinking that it was blown by the people who lost and that the candidates on the Republican side simply were not good enough. It was not about him,” Smith said.
“… I give him credit,” he continued. “I asked a question, and he answered, and he didn’t run from anything.”