SiriusXM host Stephen A Smith thought he was doing the right thing.
But his good intentions backfired spectacularly.
And Stephen A Smith issued a public apology that exposed one ugly truth.
Stephen A. Smith — the ESPN sports commentator turned political analyst — just got a brutal lesson in what happens when you dare criticize a Democrat darling.
Smith issued a groveling apology to U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) after he questioned whether her endless Trump-bashing actually helped her constituents.
The reversal came after Trump fired back at Crockett, calling her "a very low IQ person" during a Sunday Morning Futures appearance.¹
Smith panicked that his original criticism gave Trump ammunition.
"I get it now with Trump feeding into that nonsense, giving him fodder or ammunition to continue to go out there and talk about our black women that way," Smith said during his Wednesday apology. "I got it. I don’t like that at all. I don’t want to be associated with nothing like that."²
That’s retreat mode right there.
Smith’s original sin was asking a fair question
The controversy started October 8 when Smith dared to ask a simple question on his Straight Shooter podcast.
"How Jasmine Crockett chooses to express herself, I’m like, ‘Is that going to help your district in Texas?’" Smith wondered. "Aren’t you there to find a way to get stuff done, as opposed to just being an impediment to what Trump wants?"³
Smith wasn’t questioning Crockett’s intelligence or accomplishments.
He was asking whether calling Trump "wannabe Hitler" and hurling profanities at the President actually delivered results for the 750,000 people in her district.
Turns out that’s not allowed anymore.
Black Lives Matter activist Tamika Mallory immediately declared Smith’s comments "dangerous" and called for his cancellation.
Houston rapper Willie D accused Smith of "betrayal" for daring to suggest Crockett might want to try actually legislating instead of just rage-tweeting.⁴
The mob came for Smith’s head because he committed the ultimate sin in today’s Democrat Party — suggesting that perhaps nonstop Trump Derangement Syndrome wasn’t a governing strategy.
Crockett built her brand on inflammatory rhetoric
Here’s what makes Smith’s cave-in so pathetic.
Crockett hasn’t just criticized Trump — she’s turned unhinged rage into her entire brand.
After Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September, Crockett defended calling Trump a "wannabe Hitler," claiming it wasn’t inciting violence.⁵
That’s right — even after a conservative icon was murdered by someone scrawling anti-fascist messages on bullet casings, Crockett insisted comparing Trump to history’s most evil dictator was perfectly fine political discourse.
She told The Breakfast Club that calling someone "wannabe Hitler" doesn’t "necessarily" mean saying "go out and hurt somebody."⁶
That tortured logic would be laughable if it wasn’t so dangerous.
Crockett has repeatedly called Trump "an enemy to the United States" and accused him of following "a playbook out of Hitler."⁷
She mocked Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s disability, calling the wheelchair-bound Republican "Governor Hot Wheels."⁸
When asked by CNN’s Dana Bash if she had "a responsibility" to lower the temperature, Crockett doubled down, insisting her Hitler comparisons were "accurate language."⁹
This is the person Smith felt compelled to apologize to.
The apology revealed the real power structure
Smith’s grovel exposed exactly how the modern Left operates.
You can question policy all day long.
You can disagree on tactics and strategy.
But the moment you suggest a prominent Democrat — especially a Black woman who’s become a progressive darling — might be more focused on performance art than results?
That’s when the knives come out.
Smith tried to soften the blow by praising Crockett as "accomplished" and "smart" with an "incredible challenge working in this political climate on Capitol Hill."¹⁰
He insisted his intent was never to fuel Trump’s attacks.
"I can look Jasmine Crockett in the face and say, ‘I’m sorry for any, any, any, any kind of noise I caused in your direction,’" Smith pleaded.¹¹
Notice Smith didn’t retract his original point.
He still believes Crockett’s approach is counterproductive — he said so explicitly in his first response to the controversy on October 13.
"What I was saying was: this educated, brilliant black woman representing over 750,000 people is engaging in verbiage and rhetoric for the streets!" Smith said then. "How many of y’all bring the streets to the table when you at the negotiating table trying to get a deal done?"¹²
That was Smith at his most authentic — asking whether street-fighting tactics work in the halls of Congress.
The answer, based on Crockett’s legislative accomplishments, appears to be no.
But Smith learned the hard way you’re not allowed to say that out loud.
Democrats created this monster
Smith’s humiliating retreat shows exactly why the Democrat Party keeps losing working-class voters.
The party has become a circular firing squad where legitimate criticism is treated as betrayal.
You can’t question tactics without being accused of racism or misogyny.
You can’t suggest that maybe — just maybe — comparing the President to Hitler while your constituents struggle with inflation and crime isn’t the most effective strategy.
Crockett announced on Wednesday she’s considering a Senate run in 2026.¹³
She believes she can beat the current Democratic primary field based on polling data.
That’s the state of the modern Democrat Party — a first-term congresswoman whose claim to fame is Twitter fights and Hitler comparisons thinks she’s Senate material.
And nobody in the party can say otherwise without facing the mob.
Smith found that out the painful way.
¹ Jason Cohen, "’I Apologize’: Stephen A. Smith Bends Knee Over Jasmine Crockett Criticism," Daily Caller, October 22, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ "Stephen A. Smith is called out for remarks about Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett," TheGrio, October 13, 2025.
⁵ "Rep. Jasmine Crockett defends Dem rhetoric like calling Trump ‘wannabe Hitler’ in wake of Kirk shooting," Fox News, September 13, 2025.
⁶ "Jasmine Crockett Rejects Violence Claims After Charlie Kirk Death," Newsweek, September 13, 2025.
⁷ "Jasmine Crockett Torches Trump for Following the ‘Playbook Out of Hitler,’" Yahoo News, September 21, 2025.
⁸ "Jasmine Crockett: Calling Trump ‘Hitler’ Is ‘Accurate Language,’" Daily Wire, September 22, 2025.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Jason Cohen, "’I Apologize’: Stephen A. Smith Bends Knee Over Jasmine Crockett Criticism," Daily Caller, October 22, 2025.
¹¹ Ibid.
¹² Ibid.
¹³ Ibid.
