Subscribe
2025 ForbesBLK Summit

Stephen A. Smith used his massive platform to lash out at Rep. Jasmine Crockett, urging the Texas congresswoman to put aside her grievances with President Donald Trump. With the smoke clearing and after getting blasted online and in the media, Stephen A. Smith walked back his critiques of Crockett and took a shot at Trump as well.

Via his Straight Shooter With Stephen A program, Stephen A. Smith, apparently inspired by President Trump and his administration’s targeted attacks against Rep. Crockett, gave an apology that wasn’t as full-throated as his earlier digs against the Texas congresswoman.

“I can look Jasmine Crockett in the face and say I’m sorry for any kind of noise I caused in your direction, because she is accomplished, and she is smart, and she does have an incredible, incredible challenge working in this political climate on Capitol Hill,” Smith said.

Smith also said, “I saw something disturbing in regards to President Donald Trump and how he came at Representative Jasmine Crockett. I get it now with Trump feeding into that nonsense, giving him ammunition to continue to go out there and talk about our Black women that way, I got it.”

President Trump referred to Congresswoman Crockett as a “low IQ person” this past June, a shot she didn’t take without returning fire of her own.

Smith also hit back at his critics, who felt that his words were meant to attack or harm Crockett because she’s a woman.

“When somebody tries to take that to accuse me of being disrespectful or in any way misogynistic, I’m going to push back on that because that’s emphatically false. There’s no truth to that whatsoever, and I’m not accepting that, and I’m not owning that,” Smith added.

Smith also took a dig at the Democratic Party, suggesting that its leaders figure out better strategies to appeal to voters, stating that Trump won the past election due to frustrations with the party at large.

Photo: Getty