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Stephen A. Smith says he is not running for president in 2028.
The ESPN star made that clear in an interview with Sean Hannity, telling the Fox News host he is walking away from the idea of a White House run — not because he suddenly loves politics less, but because he is not giving up the money he’s making in media.
“I don’t think I’m running either,” he said, before adding, “I gotta give up my money [and] I ain’t giving up my money.”
Smith went even further, saying, “Let me put that presidential aspiration to bed,” making clear that any talk of a campaign should be considered over, at least for now. That marks a shift from the way he has talked about politics over the last few years, when he repeatedly left the door open to a possible run if the public pushed him in that direction.
There is real money behind that decision. In March 2025, Smith signed a five-year ESPN extension worth at least $100 million. Smith later reportedly added a SiriusXM deal worth $36 million over three years.
Smith has flirted with the idea of running for office for years, even while insisting he had no real desire to become a politician. In past interviews, he said he would only consider it under unusual circumstances, often framing it as a response to public demand rather than personal ambition.
The sports show host first hinted at a possible run in August 2022, saying he had “no desire to ever be a politician,” but would give it a chance if he thought he could win. Then, in 2024, while appearing on The View, he said he’d run as a Democrat if he did run, but that would only happen if people actually wanted him to.
Despite Smith’s reluctance to enter politics, the idea of him running drew attention from prominent political figures — including President Donald Trump. During an interview on NewsNation last May, Trump said he would welcome a Smith presidential campaign.
“I’ve been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates, and I will tell you I’d love to see him run,” Trump said of Smith.
“Stephen A, he’s a good guy. He’s a smart guy. I love watching him,” the president added. “He’s got great entertainment skills, which is very important. People watch him. You know, a lot of these Democrats I watch, I say they have no chance.”
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