Stephen A. Smith on Possible Presidential Run: ‘You Don’t Know What God Has Planned’
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith opened up about his faith and a potential presidential run during an interview Monday, saying he believes both parties have failed the country while adding that his pastor, A. R. Bernard, urged him to consider tossing his hat into the ring.
Smith is one of the most well-known sports media personalities in the U.S., known mostly for his outspoken takes and animated debates – as well as his recurring role on General Hospital.
But Smith was more measured Monday during an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show, revealing he considers himself a moderate who rejects the extremes in both parties.
He said he has not decided whether to run for president but is leaving the door open.
Feeling Presidential on this Monday @stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/xzmuLuuZsN
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) February 16, 2026
“I hate the way that things are, and I think that there needs to be some common sense brought to the equation,” he said of politics in the U.S.
“I have no desire to be a politician, especially when I was informed I’d have to give up my money in order to do it,” he added with a smile. “I worked very, very hard to put myself in a position to earn the quality of life that I've earned for myself.
“But my pastor, Pastor A. R. Bernard, at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., said to me: You owe it to your supporters to leave the door open. You don't know what God has planned for you over the next year. So leave the door open.”
He said the Democratic and Republican parties have forgotten how to meet in the middle and to compromise.
“Compromise really means that nobody gets to get everything they want,” he said. “... You’ve got to find a way to get things done. And unfortunately, I think things are so polarizing and so belligerent and so childish at times that there needs to be a fresh face brought to the equation – but somebody that knows how to operate, with decorum, with professionalism, with class.”
Smith did not say whether he would run as a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. Today’s politicians, he charged, spend much of their time “dividing us.”
“I think that if we talked with one another, we find out as Americans that we have far more in common than we do differences – but it's hard to get to that point in a binary system where it forces you to pick one side or the other, and both sides are so busy denigrating one another.”
Smith described himself as a moderate.
“I'm a moderate that leans right fiscally and leans left with social issues. That's me. That's me in a nutshell.”
The ESPN host also shared where he stands on several issues.
For example, Smith said he supported President Trump’s decision to close the borders and argued the borders “should have never been opened by President Biden.” On tariffs, he added, “I don't know if the tariff wars are working – but I know that the economy hasn't crashed the way they said it was going to.” On law enforcement, he said, “I know if somebody breaks into my home or commits a crime, I'm dialing 911. I’m not trying to defund the police. I'm trying to call the police.”
Smith acknowledged he doesn’t fit neatly in a box. He did not address where he stands on specific social issues.
“I'm not a socialist. I support moderates that are Democrats on a lot of issues,” he said. “I don't support the extreme left. I never have and I never will. I'm a capitalist, and I'm proud of it. We live in a capitalistic society, and I'm proud of that. Nobody has to worry about me trying to change the fabric of America when it comes to stuff like that.”
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Photo Credit: ©Getty Images / Paul Morigi / Stringer
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published February 17, 2026.
