Source: Michael Loccisano / Getty
The
ESPN pundit sat down at the Semafor Media Summit on Monday and revealed that he used to have a decent relationship with Donald Trump before he became the president because the two are both genuine sports fans.
“I knew Trump before he ran for the presidency. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to him. He was a huge sports fan. He used to throw a lot of events at … you know, at his casinos and stuff like that, and I genuinely liked them,” Smith said.
Smith admits that when it came time for him run for president in 2016, he became a different person and made it clear he doesn’t speak to him anymore. However, Smith did have people taken aback because he doesn’t think Trump is actually racist; rather he’s only really worried about himself.
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“I didn’t know who this guy was running for president. I think he’s changed, but I will tell you this: I think when people call him racist and stuff like that, I’ve never thought of Trump that way. He’s not against Black people,” Smith explained. “He’s against all things not named Trump.”
The
First Take host expounded on his views on the more conservative party, adding that while he’s not “beyond voting Republican,” he is “beyond voting for Trump.”
Smith made comments disagreeing with progressives before, namely California Governor Gavin Newsom and the left’s view on a more lax prison system.
“There is no question that a lot of these issues need to be addressed. There is no question that we should be against an extremely progressive agenda that’s calling for people to be released from prison on multiple occasions. That’s ignoring a lot of crime that’s taking place in the streets,” he told
Fox News’ Jesse Watters last year.
Twitter got wind of Smith’s opinion of Trump not being racist and wasn’t too satisfied. See the reactions below.
