ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith conducted a 40-minute interview with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, during which he also addressed speculation about a potential role in the administration.
Smith ruled out taking the position of White House press secretary following the interview. In remarks to reporters after the meeting, he stated he would ‘no way in hell’ take the job, effectively ending short-lived speculation about his candidacy for the role. The interview is scheduled to air on Smith’s YouTube channel.
During the discussion, Smith and Trump addressed the 2026 midterm election results, which saw Republicans suffer significant losses and Democrats gain control of Congress. According to Smith’s account, Trump attributed the outcome to the quality of Republican candidates rather than his own influence. Smith recounted that when asked whether Trump would take responsibility for the losses, the president remained ‘immovable’ in his refusal to do so.
Smith described the conversation as ‘wide-ranging’, covering topics beyond the midterms. He noted that Trump reiterated his stance that the election results were not reflective of his personal impact on the ballot, despite encouraging voters to treat the election as if he were running. Smith also characterized Trump’s demeanor during the interview as ‘dogged’ when pressed on accountability.
The interview follows Smith’s appearance on Fox News’ Hannity program, where he discussed the midterm losses and Trump’s response to the results. Smith’s remarks on Trump’s refusal to accept responsibility were highlighted in that segment, though his comments about declining the press secretary role were not mentioned in that coverage.