Stephen A. Smith: President Donald Trump's Washington Redskins demand is attempt to 'distract' from Epstein files

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith called President Donald Trump’s Washington Redskins demand an attempt to distract from the “Jeffrey Epstein Files.” After the President essentially tossed all narratives and investigations into the potential release of those files, he’s since focused on other political issues, which even includes fives into sports.

But this is no NIL committee in an attempt to aid college athletics. President Trump called for the return of the Redskins nickname, as well as the MLB’s Cleveland Guardians to go back to the Indians.

Initially a call to return to those nicknames, under a threat to restrict the Washington Commanders franchise building a new football stadium, the President clarified that he may do that. In light of all this, Smith called this a distraction from other real world issues.

“Well, I think it’s the President being petty,” Smith said on First Take. “I think it’s him being evasive. Because the reality is, no matter how good he wants people to believe things are with the big, beautiful bill and other things that have been transpiring, tariff wars, the border issues, or whatever. If you’re on the right, obviously you’re happy with a lot of things that are going on, and there’s nothing to take credit away from that. I’ll leave the political evaluations to other people. 

“But nevertheless, there are millions upon millions of people in the United States of America that are not necessarily happy with some of the things that he’s doing. So what does he do? He caters to his base. Because when you look at the Redskins name, obviously, it’s something that needed to be changed and that and by him bringing that issue up, we all know from a political landscape is much ado about nothing. It’s just him catering to his base to make sure that he serves to appease them in some way, to distract them from other issues, including the Epstein files, by the way, because a lot of people for the associated with the MAGA right want those files released, and you even have Republican representatives on the Hill wanting those files released, wanting to see for themselves, because they’re not buying what the administration is saying when they say that there’s absolutely nothing there.” 

Stephen A. Smith reacts to President Donald Trump’s call for Redskins

Smith dove into the overall issues in the Washington D.C. area, which are related in part to what President Trump is trying to do, or not trying to do. Under new ownership, the Washington Commanders have seen a resurgence, but a stadium is the next step. Currently, the President only wants to see it under the guise of the old-school Redskins logo and branding.

“But I think it’s important to really zone in and focus on Washington D.C. and what’s transpiring here,” Smith continued. “The President, obviously, since he arrived in office, January 21, has proceeded to let go of nearly 300,000 federal employees since he’s taken office. What does that mean for Washington D.C.? Remember, Washington. DC is a one industry town. It’s politics and pretty much nothing else. And so when you talk about the bevy of individuals that are going that are going to be unemployed, think about what transpires there. 

“Think about the effect that’s going to have on homelessness. Think about the effect that’s going to have on crime, on unemployment, etc, etc. It’s a really, really dire situation that’s potentially developing in the nation’s capital. And so with all of that going on, understand that’s relevant. Because not only has Josh Harris, the owner and his group owning the Washington Commanders pledged to put in anywhere from 2.5 to $2.7 billion of their own money. They were hoping to receive a billion dollars from Washington D.C., and the city council has yet to approve that … But it’s not looking that promising, because they’re asking the question, how, in God’s name are we going to justify throwing a billion dollars into a new stadium, when in fact, we have all of these folks losing their jobs, and we’re struggling right now? We’re going to need to put that money to other uses. And so because of that, Josh Harris and his group may be in an absolute pinch. Trump recognizes that and has ingratiated himself into a situation he really has no business being in.” 

President Trump involving himself in Redskins debates unnecessary, per Stephen A. Smith

Smith went as far as to say it’s all a show when it comes to President Trump and the Redskins nickname. The same could likely be said for the Guardians-Indians debate.

“So again, all of that speaks to Donald Trump, basically engaging in pomp and circumstance, trying to make noise ingratiate himself further with his base, to show that he is indeed living up to the promises that he’s made in terms of addressing woke culture and things of that nature, but that’s all it’s about,” Smith said. “It’s not to say that it’s not going to be an inconvenience, because I know that it can be to Josh Harris, because I think he made the mistake of saying, ‘We’re never doing anything. We’re not changing.’ 

“Because what Trump has shown religiously, he’s willing to double down and make this as hard as he possibly can. But by the looks of the law and what has transpired on the books, it seems to be little to nothing that Trump could do about this other than make noise. But again, it does assist in him appealing to his base.”