During his October 21st appearance on The View, Stephen A. Smith explained why he accepted an invitation from comedian Bill Maher to join him for dinner with President Donald Trump.
According to Smith, Trump invited Maher to bring his “crazy leftist friends.” Maher then invited Smith, who accepted the opportunity to discuss issues important to him directly with the president. The ESPN journalist revealed that what he expected to be a brief meeting turned into a conversation lasting more than four hours with the president.
Smith identified three key issues he wanted to discuss: Black women’s unemployment, the proposed Protect College Sports Act, and funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As an HBCU Week ambassador since 2019, Smith said the organization has raised more than $150 million in scholarship funding for over 12,500 students.
Smith also challenged Trump on the potential impact of the administration’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies on private-sector contributions to HBCUs. He argued that some corporations have become hesitant to donate because they fear being targeted for supporting initiatives involving HBCUs.
When Whoopi Goldberg asked Smith whether he questioned Trump about why DEI initiatives were important to him, Smith explained that he did not address the issue in those specific terms. Instead, he focused on the issues that mattered most to him, including the importance of encouraging private-sector contributions to HBCUs.
Smith argued to Trump that it made little sense if the government is trying to reduce public funding its policies and restrictions could also discourage private companies from providing financial support. According to Smith, Trump acknowledged that he had not considered the issue from that perspective and said he would look into it. To Smith’s surprise, Trump later followed up with a phone call.
D.L. Hughley Questions Smith’s Intentions
Comedian D.L. Hughley, who has been vocal in his criticism of Smith, questioned the ESPN commentator’s decision to have dinner with Trump alongside Maher and musician Kid Rock.
During his podcast show, Hughley questioned why Smith was comfortable spending more than four hours with a president, who demonstrated hostility toward minorities.
Hughley suggested that Smith’s decision was self-serving, arguing that he secured a seat at the table while others continued to struggle, and jokingly said that he bet they didn’t have any hot sauce there.
He also questioned Smith’s priorities, asking if he asked Trump about other issues affecting Black Americans, such as the case of Nolan Wells in Mississippi and reports of Black people being hanged. Hughley further contrasted Smith’s reaction of being visibly upset to receiving a thumbs-down award from the National Association of Black Journalists versus his response to Trump’s calling him names and insulting his intelligence. Hughley called Smith tool for the president for accepting Trump’s dinner invitation despite those previous tensions.
Smith Fires Back at Hughley
Smith responded to Hughley, who is also his fraternity brother in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., calling Hughley a demon for always being angry, declared that he was not his brother (fraternity), and argued that people must be willing to have difficult conversations with those in positions of power.
Smith questioned why his willingness to engage with Trump was being interpreted as selling out, arguing that he’s going to face criticism regardless if he’s going to say something or not.
He highlighted on his platform that the president of the United States has significant influence over issues that directly affect people’s lives, including car payments, health care, and the economy. Smith shared that where he come from, having a voice in rooms where decisions are made is important.
To support his argument, Smith referenced historical examples of Black leaders engaging with people whose views or political affiliations differed sharply from their own.
He cited Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey’s meeting with the Ku Klux Klan, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s interactions with political leaders. He also pointed to the Democratic Party’s relationship with former West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, a former Ku Klux Klan member who was eulogized by former Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Smith went on further saying yhar prominent Black figures, including Oprah Winfrey, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton, had relationships with Trump. Adding that he recalled Winfrey had previously encouraged him to run for president.
Smith also accused Hughley of complaining without taking meaningful action, suggesting that the criticism intensified after he signed his new contract.
He explained that he was previously a Democrat before registering as an independent because he does not identify with either political party. Smith maintained that he has long held political views and expressed dissatisfaction with several issues facing the country, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the national debt, the war in Iran, and beef with Canada.
He also argued that people involved in drug dealing are sell out, questioning Hughley not being able to gain access to the White House himself with extra shots that he can’t even fry to the Black House. Smith added that, based on what he had observed, Hughley appeared comfortable in predominantly white spaces through his own show from the late 1990s/early 2000s, The Hughleys.
Smith later apologized to Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., for going at one of the “bruhs,” explaining that he felt it was necessary to call Hughley saying that the fraternity hasn’t done nothing for too long and he’s tire of his shit as well as others who think and act like him.
Hughley Takes Another Jab at Smith
Hughley later took another apparent shot at Smith through a collaborative social media post featuring an image of Smith taken from his commentary show.
The image appeared to have black markings drawn over Smith’s face that resembled a raccoon, seemingly an indirect reference to the derogatory term “coon,” which is sometimes used to accuse a Black person of betraying their community.
The post also featured an image of Monistat 7, a vaginal antifungal cream. In the comments, a user who tagged Hughley wrote:
“He got some nerve to talk all big behind the camera to you, DL, but he don’t got the balls to say it in your face.”
Hughley additionally, show clips of his past White House meet ups with then President Obama, Biden, and Vice President, Kamala Harris.
The exchange has fueled further debate over Smith’s decision to engage with Trump and whether such meetings represent meaningful advocacy or give political figures an opportunity to benefit from the association.
What are your thoughts? Was this an opportunity for meaningful advocacy, or should public figures approach these meetings differently?
