ESPN host Stephen A. Smith defended his recent meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, stating on the talk show "The View" that he would not apologize for sitting down with the president. Speaking on Wednesday, Smith told his co-hosts that he views the interaction from a constitutional perspective, noting that Trump is the head of state and will remain in office until at least 2028.
Co-host Sunny Hostin questioned the value of the meeting, citing Trump's history of racial bias. Smith responded that while he did not know if the meeting yielded immediate results, he felt compelled to try because the president is not going away. He argued that a mentality of refusing to talk to the president is counterproductive, emphasizing that one must deal with the administration regardless of personal feelings.
Smith addressed speculation about potential impeachment following the midterm elections. He predicted that Republicans would maintain control of the Senate, while Democrats would likely win the House. Smith argued that even if Democrats attempted impeachment, Republicans in the Senate would intervene to save the president. He expressed frustration with what he called the "pomp and circumstance" of such political theater, stating he was tired of the idea that impeachment would effectively remove Trump from power.
The meeting in question took place on Oct. 15 and included comedian Bill Maher and musician Kid Rock. During the "View" episode, Smith said he pressed Trump on the war in Iran and noted that Maher also questioned the president during their conversation. He expressed disappointment that co-host Ana Navarro questioned whether he had pushed back on Trump, suggesting she does not watch his SiriusXM show enough to know he frequently challenges the president.
Navarro stated earlier in the week that she would never meet with Trump, despite the show having previously invited him. Nicholas Fondacaro, associate editor at the Media Research Center's NewsBusters, criticized the "View" cast in a statement to Fox News Digital. Fondacaro argued that it is easy for the hosts to criticize others for meeting with Trump because they are not asked to do so and are not expected to champion his cause. He claimed the show views Trump as a caricature and was surprised that Trump listened to Smith's arguments regarding HBCUs before scheduling the meeting.
Kid Rock spoke about the dinner on "Fox & Friends" on Friday. He stated that he, Maher, and Smith agreed that socialism and communism have no place in government. Referring to Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Kid Rock described the conversation as epic, noting that two Democrats and two Republicans sat down to have tough conversations and break bread.