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‘We can’t be watching the same stuff!’ Stephen A Smith spars with Fox News’ Hannity over Trump’s mental state

‘I know you’re not talking about somebody being lucid and cogent and enunciating their thoughts with clarity, and you’re bragging about Donald Trump,’ Smith said

James Liddell
Friday 25 October 2024 13:21 BST
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Stephen A Smith spars with Fox News Hannity over Trump’s mental state

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Stephen A Smith sparred with Sean Hannity live on air when the Fox News host launched into a strong defense of Donald Trump’s mental state.

The ESPN First Take host appeared on Fox News Hannity on Thursday evening soon after Trump made a campaign stop in Nevada, Las Vegas.

During the live segment, it wasn’t long before the two TV personalities exchanged barbs on the presidential candidates’ behalfs as Hannity hit out at Kamala Harris’s public speaking capabilities.

Claiming Harris ties herself up like a “pretzel,” Hannity said: “She has to give us word salads because she won’t tell us how she really feels. She’s hiding her true beliefs.”

Donald Trump doesn’t do that,” he added.

Smith quickly cut in to question whether Hannity is “watching the same stuff” as him to have reached such a conclusion about Trump’s mental acuity.

“I know you’re not talking about somebody being lucid and cogent and enunciating their thoughts with clarity, and you’re bragging about Donald Trump,” Smith said.

“We can’t be watching the same stuff if that’s what you’re doing.”

Fox News host Sean Hannity and ESPN host Stephen A Smith sparred over Trump’s speeches and mental state
Fox News host Sean Hannity and ESPN host Stephen A Smith sparred over Trump’s speeches and mental state (Fox News/Hannity)

Hannity – a close ally of the former president – went on to insist that Trump is “dialed in,” while Harris is “struggling”.

“She does these interviews, and I argue to you about the reason she is struggling. She’s like tied up in a pretzel because she can’t express what she has stated publicly,” the Fox host said.

“She has stated in the past to decriminalize illegal immigration, free food, housing, health care, education, sex change operations and a path to citizenship or banning fracking, banning offshore drilling, so she has to, you know, give us word salad because she won’t tell us how she really feels, she’s hiding her true beliefs.”

Hannity also suggested that Smith was “privately” going to vote for Trump, despite the ESPN personality telling the Los Angeles Times last month that he’s not an “ideologue” and believes that Harris will clinch the presidency.

“I told you I’m on the record. I’d have voted almost for any Republican but him. Nikki Haley. Chris Christie. But not him,” Smith said.

The Straight Shooter author is set to join Chris Cuomo and author Bill O’Reilly as moderators for a NewsNation town hall on October 30, which Cuomo says is aimed at finding ways to get the country “to a better place.” Independent presidential candidate-turned-Trump surrogate Robert F Kennedy Jr and billionaire Harris campaign surrogate Mark Cuban are billed to take part in the event.

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