Stephen A. Smith, ESPN’s prominent sports commentator, has admitted in a recent interview that President Trump was correct to secure the southern border, while criticizing the Biden administration for exacerbating the crisis. Speaking on CBS’s Sunday Morning, Smith stated: “The borders needed to be closed. [Trump] was right to do that, but only because Biden opened them.” He accused Biden’s team of failing to address the situation properly, noting that allowing “12 to 15 million people” to cross the border illegally—“swearing in our face, spitting in our face”—while claiming there was no crisis constituted a deliberate deception.
Smith emphasized that under Biden’s policies, deportations surpassed those during Trump’s first term, creating what he described as an emergency situation requiring immediate action. He cited data from the House Committee on Homeland Security showing CBP recorded over 10.8 million border encounters since fiscal year 2021 began, with more than 8.72 million occurring at the Southwest border. “These aren’t partisan talking points,” Smith said of the statistics, which he claims reflect a reality the previous administration sought to obscure.
The analyst also revealed his plans for a potential 2028 Democratic presidential run, stating he would not have faced a border crisis under his leadership: “We ain’t defunding any police. We wouldn’t have this crime that exists in the streets of New York.” Smith’s comments highlight a strategic shift in his public stance, as he simultaneously critiques Trump-era immigration enforcement while defending stricter border policies—a position he says aligns with addressing the current emergency without compromising progressive principles.
