Stephen A. Smith's Trump Feud Exposed as Ratings Stunt

Stephen A. Smith picked a fight with President Donald Trump and landed exactly where he wanted: on CNN and News Nation. The ESPN loudmouth used the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in over 50 years as a springboard to promote himself, not the team, not the city, and certainly not the country.

What Did Stephen A. Smith Say About Trump at the NBA Finals?

When President Trump showed up at Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York, Smith saw an opening. He used his First Take platform, standing in front of an American flag animation while Hail to the Chief played, to taunt the sitting president. Smith claimed Trump fell asleep at the game and blamed him for the Knicks losing that night. The Knicks went on to win the series 4-1 over the Spurs, closing it out Saturday night in West Texas.

Smith's YouTube numbers told the real story initially. His big response video pulled fewer views than a recent commentary on the Netflix Kevin Hart Roast, despite him pushing viewers to his channel live on ESPN. The stunt looked like a dud.

How Did Mainstream Media Use Smith to Attack Trump?

Then the long game emerged. Postgame, Smith appeared on News Nation's Cuomo show, declaring,