DL Hughley Slams Stephen A. Smith After His Apology for Saying Black People Can Relate to Donald Trump

DL Hughley is fed up with Stephen A. Smith and shares his thoughts on the controversial ESPN host, slamming him for what Hughley says was a disingenuous apology to the sportswriter last week.

Following the media firestorm, Smith backtracked on his public statement that Black Americans could discover with Trump’s “suffering,” explaining that his words were taken out of context.

But Hughley wasn’t buying it, and the outspoken actor had some advice for Smith: “Don’t be a jerk and say you didn’t say it. You did!” Hughley said on BigBoy TV. “You said it. Stand on it.

The controversy began on April 18, when Smith sparked outrage in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News. The sports talk show host, who often speaks on non-sports related topics, noted similarities between Trump’s accusations and the long history of systemic racism in the US criminal justice system.

Smith declared, “We stand with you (Trump) as you suffer like this,” apparently speaking on behalf of all Black Americans. Pay attention to the response. Social media was flooded with complaints, with one of the crucial poignant criticisms comes from the NAACP on X:

“Can you relate!?! Show of hands: Does anyone in your Black family have 88 pending felony charges, have filed for bankruptcy six times, tried to overturn the presidential election and our democracy, and yet can fall asleep in court and dream of being POTUS?”

In response, Smith released a video apology 4 days later, claiming his words had been misinterpreted.

Hughley, however, wanted to set the record straight and condemned Smith for his flip-flop.

“What offends me is when you say something and pretend you didn’t say it. We heard what you said… You said that Black people identify with Donald Trump. HOW?” he asked Hughley.

He also chided Smith for trying to speak for all black Americans and, worse, for making grossly inaccurate assumptions. “When you make these kinds of sweeping statements – ‘from my perspective, from my point of view, these people think this,’ you are saying that we respect crime. We are moved by this. We love it. Don’t say you didn’t say it,” Hughley said.

“Who are you to think, ‘Oh, fraudulent rape is right for you?’ Who is in your sphere that you think is okay?” Hughley asked, adding: “That says more about you than it does about him,” referring to Trump.

The latest polls show that Trump’s popularity amongst Black voters could also be growing, with Trump backing about 18%, an improvement over the 2020 election results, where exit polls showed Trump winning 12% of the Black vote.

The former president tried to capitalize on that dynamic, and Smith’s words to Fox News echoed Trump’s speech in February on the Black Conservative Federation’s annual gala, where Trump received the “Champion of Black America” ​​award.

“I was accused a second, third and fourth time, and a lot of people said that’s why Black people liked me, because they had been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually saw me for who I was.” I’m discriminated against,” Trump said via NBC News. “I am charged on behalf of you, the American people. I am charged on behalf of you, the black population.”

Smith appears to have taken a page straight from Trump’s playbook along with his comments about Fox.

During the speech, Trump also addressed the alleged popularity of his photo on social media amongst Black Americans.

“My mugshot – we all saw it shot in the cup, and you know who embraced it more than anyone else? The black population,” he said. “You see Black people walking around with my picture. You know, they make T-shirts and sell them for $19 each. It’s truly amazing – thousands and thousands, by the way in which.

Trump now faces a complete of 88 criminal charges in 4 cases, including 34 within the hush money indictment, which accuses Trump of using campaign funds to cover up an alleged affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels before his 2016 election.

On BigBoy TV, after Hughley commented on Smith, he also offered his opinion on the previous president, saying, “When you get convicted of raping someone, I can not f**k with you. I do not care who you might be. If you committed fraud, I can not mess with you.