By [JAKE FENNER, US SPORTS WRITER](/profile-207/jake-fenner.html)
Published: 21:41 GMT, 13 February 2026 | Updated: 21:41 GMT, 13 February 2026
After dipping his toes into the political waters through discussions on his podcast, ESPN star Stephen A. Smith is considering diving straight into the ocean with a potential presidential campaign.
Smith spoke to CBS Sunday Morning in a one-on-one interview with chief Washington analyst Robert Costa.
In that discussion, Smith revealed that he has been mulling over a potential run for the highest office in the land.
'I will confess to you, I'm giving strong consideration to being on that debate stage for 2027,' Smith told Costa - who shared a quote from the interview [to his X account](https://x.com/costareports/status/2022332927221317962?s=20) on Friday.
Smith indicated that he would be running for the Democratic Party nomination: 'I've got this year coming up 2026, to think about it, to study, to know the issues.'
While 'First Take' and a national political debate stage are two wildly different mediums for the sharing of ideas, Smith certainly has plenty of experience making his case in front of an audience.
Sports pundit Stephen A. Smith says he's giving 'strong consideration' to a Presidential run
President Donald Trump has publicly encouraged Smith to run for the office he currently holds
He's known for being entrenched in his opinions on sports and, likely, will act the same way when it comes to politics.
Smith has briefly teased the idea - including the day after the 2024 election - but the concept has received mixed reviews on social media.
However, he does have at least one person who believes a run would be worth while: President Donald Trump.
'I love watching him. He's got great entertainment skills, which is very important,' Trump said of Smith during a NewsNation town hall.
'People watch him. You know, a lot of these Democrats I watch, I say they have no chance. I've been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates. And I will tell you, I'd love to see him run.'
Even if Smith decided against a life in politics, he'd have
Time will tell what happens with Smith and 2028, but one thing is certain: There's no way he is disappearing from the spotlight anytime soon.