Stephen A. Smith says he takes no offense to President Donald Trump’s social media criticism, but stands by blaming him for the Knicks’ Game 3 loss in the NBA Finals on ‘Hannity.’
Stephen A. Smith is absolutely refusing to wave the white flag against President Donald Trump.
Just days after OutKick questioned him about Smith’s criticism of the president, Trump fired back, calling him a “low IQ individual” and “dumb as a rock.”
Smith took his response straight to primetime.
The king of sports television hot takes joined Sean Hannity on Fox News Thursday night to clear the air.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42 Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
TRUMP TEARS INTO STEPHEN A SMITH AS FEUD GROWS: ‘ARROGANT FOOL, A LOW IQ INDIVIDUAL’
True to form, Smith did not apologize. Instead, he doubled down.
Smith told Hannity that he expects the heat when he steps out of his sports lane and into the political arena.
“I take no offense with the president coming after me the way that he did,” Smith said. “People go after him every day. I certainly went after him. He has every right to come back and clap back at me. I’m a big boy. I can take it. He ain’t phasing me one bit.”
President Donald Trump watches the first quarter of Game Three between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks during the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 8, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Smith needs to stand the heat if he’s truly seeking political office, namely the presidency.
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Smith’s qualms stemmed from the massive requirements for the presidential visit, which shut down surrounding streets near Madison Square Garden and forced police to clear out outdoor watch parties.
Smith blasted the logistics, arguing that Trump only cared about himself.
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The Knicks have not won a championship in more than half a century, and Smith believes Trump’s arrival disrupted the momentum surrounding the team.
Stephen A. Smith appears on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Oct. 23, 2024. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
“But this man was raised in Queens, New York, lifelong Knicks fan, knows about the suffering that spans 53 years,” Smith continued. “And when you are a true sports fan, you know every little thing could disrupt the momentum. You have watch parties outside, thousands of people. You have rabid fans inside. People throughout the state, gathered in Central Park, Bryant Park, and throughout the State of New York, are on fire.
“The momentum is there, incredibly intimidating. And what does this guy do? He shows up. They got to get rid of the watch party. He disrupts the momentum and the fervor, and that is why I blamed him for the loss in Game 3.”
Blaming a playoff loss on a famous guy sitting courtside takes some serious spin.
Apparently, the Knicks players throwing up bricks and turning the ball over had nothing to do with it.
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Whether this heavyweight media bout goes another round remains to be seen.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.
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