President Donald Trump took a shot at ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith Monday night, questioning his intelligence after a reporter informed him that Smith had threatened to blame the president if the Knicks lost Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The exchange took place postgame at Madison Square Garden, where Trump had attended as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game and at one point looked to be asleep during the game. Earlier Monday, as theGrio reported, Smith called Trump’s attendance “selfish” and “narcissistic” on First Take, saying: “If it causes the New York Knicks to lose tonight, I’m blaming him.” TheGrio also covered the widespread backlash to Trump’s presence at MSG, including from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who said the visit would “ruin a good thing.” According to a clip shared by @Acyn on X, Trump responded to Smith’s comments with a personal dig.
Reporter: Stephen A. Smith said he would blame you if the Knicks lost
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 9, 2026
Trump: He is a nice guy but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ. I don't think Stephen has it. pic.twitter.com/7DV1fZdcfL
“He is a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president,” Trump told reporters. “You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that. I don’t think he does, actually.”
Smith had made the comments earlier in the day while discussing Trump’s visit with Michael Wilbon and Jay Williams on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“This president has no business showing up in New York City,” Smith said. “It is selfish. It is narcissistic. It is ridiculous that he is coming to this game.” Smith, who has been back and forth about the possibility of exploring a 2028 presidential run, tied the outcome directly to Trump’s presence.
The Spurs ultimately won Game 3, 115-111, ending the Knicks’ 13-game postseason winning streak. The back-and-forth added another layer to an already chaotic night at MSG, where heightened Secret Service security caused delays for fans and players alike and drew considerable criticism from New Yorkers who were already frustrated with the traffic and security disruptions across Manhattan.
