Stephen A. Smith pushed back hard on claims that President Donald Trump is acting like a king. On Monday’s episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” the ESPN host said the facts show otherwise. Smith pointed to legal checks and court decisions as proof that democracy is alive and well.
The remarks followed the nationwide “No Kings” protests on Saturday. The movement claimed to stand against “authoritarianism.” But Smith wasn’t buying the narrative. “What were they protesting?” he asked. “ICE and migrants being grabbed in the streets … and folks were coming to the defense of it — you had the state of California suing the Trump administration.”
Smith reminded his audience that Trump isn’t ruling unchecked. “You have people talk about ‘No kings, no kings, he’s not a dictator,’” Smith said. “Well, really? That’s why the state’s suing him. That’s why he’s losing some of these cases in court.”
On June 9, California sued the Trump administration over its National Guard deployment in Los Angeles amid anti-ICE riots. A Clinton-appointed judge, Charles Breyer, blocked the move. But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals quickly paused that ruling. A new hearing is expected Tuesday.
“Last time I checked,” Smith said, “you’re in a position of power, you try to get your way, somebody sues you … and as a result, it shows that our system works.”
He also challenged critics of Trump’s policies. “What is Trump doing differently than what he campaigned on?” Smith asked. “You may not like it — that’s why you win the election … as opposed to focusing on stuff that ain’t gon’ win an election.”
Trump has faced a long list of legal battles in his second term. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison alone has sued the administration 23 times on issues like immigration, education, and funding.
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” the group’s website reads. But Smith’s message was clear: Trump’s not a king — he’s just the president, and the courts are doing their job.