Stephen A. Smith and President Donald Trump have spent the past week trading shots through interviews, social media posts, and media appearances, but even amid the public feud, the ESPN personality acknowledged something that many of Trump’s critics are often reluctant to admit: he believes Trump is a clear upgrade over former President Joe Biden when it comes to energy and alertness.
Smith made the comments during a Sunday interview when he was asked about his ongoing dispute with the president, which began after Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the New York Knicks’ championship run.
The sports commentator has been critical of Trump’s appearance at the game, previously describing the president’s decision to attend as “selfish” and “narcissistic.” Smith even joked that Trump’s presence may have disrupted the team’s momentum after the Knicks dropped that contest.
Yet when the conversation turned to Trump’s overall demeanor and sharpness, Smith offered a more nuanced assessment.
“Well, I don’t know anybody that would associate the word ‘sharp’ with him because he doesn’t seem that sharp with some of the decisions that he makes sometimes, to be quite honest with you,” Smith said. “But I’m not here to denigrate or insult the President of the United States in that regard.”
Then came the remark that immediately caught attention.
“He is certainly an upgrade from what we were seeing from Joe Biden in terms of his alertness and what have you,” Smith added.
Coming from a media personality who has often criticized Trump, the comment stood out. Over the last several years, concerns about Biden’s age, public appearances, and mental acuity became one of the defining issues of American politics. Even many Democrats eventually acknowledged the problem after Biden’s disastrous debate performance in 2024 ultimately led him to abandon his reelection campaign.
Smith nevertheless maintained his claim that Trump appeared to be dozing off during portions of the Knicks game. At the same time, he was quick to downplay the significance of it.
The president, Smith noted, has “got a lot on his plate.”
What seemed to irritate Smith far more than the alleged nap was Trump’s repeated questioning of his intelligence.
“When he wants to sit up there and question my IQ and talk to me about people that would smoke me in a debate, well, why don’t you do it yourself?” Smith said. “Because I’d be more than happy to sit across from the president and debate some of the decisions that he’s made.”
The exchange stems from a Truth Social post in which Trump unloaded on Smith after the broadcaster floated the possibility of a future political career.
“Stephen A. Smith is an arrogant fool, a low IQ individual,” Trump wrote. “In other words, he’s ‘dumb as a rock,’ and totally unqualified to ever think of running for high political office.”
Trump went on to predict Smith would be “annihilated” in any political debate and dismissed the television host’s political prospects altogether.
Despite the heated rhetoric, the feud may already be cooling.
After the Knicks captured their first NBA championship in more than five decades, Smith made it clear that politics had suddenly become far less important than basketball.
“The Knicks just won the title,” Smith said. “I don’t give a s— about politics or anything like that. I could care less.”
For a lifelong Knicks fan, ending a 53-year championship drought apparently outweighed any desire to continue sparring with the president.
