ESPN commentator and media personality Stephen A Smith made a commentary about Donald Trump that got a lot of people upset.
Smith made an appearance on the Fox News show of Sean Hannity, whom he calls a friend, on April 18. The subject of Donald Trump and his “hush money” criminal trial in New York came up and Smith decried the trial as a political strategy by Democrats. But what got him into hot water was his take that Black Americans can identify with Trump based on being discriminated against by the justice system in America.
“As much as people may have been abhorred by Donald Trump’s statement weeks ago talking about how Black folks, he’s hearing that Black folks find him relatable because of what he is going through is similar to what Black Americans have gone through, he wasn’t lying! He was telling the truth,” Smith told Hannity. “When you see the law, law enforcement, the court system, and everything else being exercised against him, it is something that Black folks throughout this nation can relate to with some of our historic, iconic figures. We’ve seen that happen throughout society.”
Those remarks brought a rebuke from the NAACP.
“Relatable!?!” The organization’s account tweeted in reaction to Smith’s commentary. “Show of hands: Anyone in your Black family have 88 felony charges pending, filed for bankruptcy 6x, made an attempt to overthrow a presidential election and our democracy, and still have the ability to fall asleep in court and dream of being POTUS?”
And it wasn’t just the organization that pushed back on his remark. There were several strong rebukes of Smith on Twitter/X.
“When Trayvon Martin was MURDERED, Stephen A Smith implied that maybe young black kids shouldn’t wear hoodies,” ChocnessMonsta tweeted. “When Dana White hit his wife ON CAMERA, Stephen A Smith basically apologized for having to cover it. And people are shocked he’s on Hannity?”
Stephen A Smith is no stranger to controversy. But this one hits hard – even for him.