ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith voiced support Monday for President Donald Trump’s 2024 election win, citing the Democratic Party’s history of manipulating black voters through fear tactics and guilt. Smith, speaking on “CUOMO,” said Democrats failed to deliver real policy solutions and instead leaned on racial division to secure votes—an approach that he said “didn’t work this time.”
Trump received 13% of the black vote in the 2024 election, including 21% of black men, according to CNN exit polling. Stephen A. Smith Trump win was a positive thing, arguing that black voters are no longer falling for empty promises. “I’m glad it didn’t work,” he said, pointing out that for decades, Democrats used fear and guilt rather than results to win support.
“For the longest time, black Americans have played the role of suckers to the Democratic Party,” Smith said. “They’ve guilted us into voting for them, making us feel as if we’re going to be ostracized… instead of saying, ‘This is what we will do for you.’”
Smith previously criticized Democratic policies as out of touch with conservative black families. In a March interview on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” he noted that many black Americans live according to traditional values inconsistent with left-wing social agendas. He pointed to the party’s focus on identity issues, such as pronouns and gender ideology, instead of prioritizing core concerns like the economy and national security.
On immigration, Smith credited Trump with restoring border security. “There is no doubt that Donald Trump has been successful,” he said on April 28. Smith contrasted Trump’s enforcement with President Joe Biden’s open-border policies, which he said had caused widespread concern among Americans.
According to the White House, under Trump’s renewed enforcement, border crossings dropped by 99.99% and daily encounters fell 93%. The Biden administration oversaw 8.5 million migrant encounters between 2021 and 2024, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
Smith’s remarks reflect a growing sentiment among black voters disillusioned with the Democratic Party’s priorities and messaging—one that could signal lasting political realignment.
