IS TRUMP’S BEHAVIOR FUELING THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT; ELISSA SLOTKIN

Summary

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The Stephen A. Smith Show (Straight Shooter with Stephen A.)

Episode: Is Trump’s Behavior Fueling the Progressive Movement; Elissa Slotkin
Date: June 25, 2026
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Guest: Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)

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Episode Overview

This episode sees Stephen A. Smith shifting beyond his usual sports turf to dissect the latest political drama in Washington, with a major focus on President Trump’s legislative tactics, the escalating tensions within both major parties, and the rise of the progressive left. Central topics are Trump’s decision to link the bipartisan housing bill to passage of the "SAVE America Act" (focused on voter ID and citizenship requirements), the war in Iran, ethics and personal enrichment in politics, and the fractured state of both the GOP and Democratic Party. Stephen A. fields lively caller debates and conducts a featured interview with Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan about national security, the Iran deal, and the existential threat to America’s middle class.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Trump’s Legislative Maneuvering and Political Motivations

[02:00 - 15:00]

• Trump’s 'Power Play' on Capitol Hill:
  Trump blindsides lawmakers by sabotaging a bipartisan housing bill, demanding the passage of the "SAVE America Act" first—a bill requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote. As Smith points out, this move is about power, not policy, and aims to galvanize the GOP base as midterms approach.

  • “Donald Trump is quivering in his boots. He’s nervous as hell…anything that doesn’t lead to him getting his way is an emergency.” – Stephen A. Smith [01:20]
  • The “SAVE Act” requires IDs for voting, targeting concerns around migrant voting—a point hotly debated through the show.

• Midterms and Political Fallout:
  Trump and the GOP face potential House losses. Stephen A. argues Trump’s tactics are "paranoid plays" to preserve power rather than to legislate solutions for Americans.

• Economic Discontent Among Voters:
  Rising costs—housing, food, gasoline—are a theme. Despite a robust housing bill clearing Congress with historic bipartisan majorities, Trump delays its signature for political leverage.

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2. Trump Family Enrichment & Ethical Concerns

[08:00 - 13:00]

• Citing Major Journalistic Investigations:
  Smith details how Trump’s second term saw a boom in Trump family investments, especially in crypto, real estate, and defense tech, with substantial foreign capital infusions (e.g., UAE).

  • “Analysts…estimate that the combined value of the Trump family’s assets has reached many billions of dollars. According to Forbes, Trump’s net worth has increased by roughly 3 to 4 billion dollars since he took office for a second term.” – Stephen A. Smith [10:14]

• Smith’s Take on Political Self-Enrichment:
  He sharply critiques the bipartisan tradition of politicians leaving office much richer, but reserves his ire for the lack of broader American prosperity: - "I don’t give a damn what money politicians slide into their own coffins… if the American people are prospering, get yours… But last time I checked, that's not the case.” – Stephen A. Smith [13:12]

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3. Immigration, Voter ID, and the Progressive Surge

[16:00 - 31:00, 53:00+]

• Debate on Migrant Voting and Voter ID Laws:
  Smith and callers clash over claims of undocumented immigrants voting, especially in California. Smith clarifies the distinction between potential vulnerabilities and actual widespread fraud, frequently reiterating that the fear is political fuel, often outstripping reality.

  • “You’re not supposed to be able to vote if you’re not here legally. Period. That’s just a fact.” – Stephen A. Smith [32:45]

• Local vs. Federal Policy:
  Smith uses recent California laws and LA City Council actions as examples that, while intended to expand inclusion, also offer GOP talking points about illegal voting to rile up their base.

• The Rise of Progressives:
  Stephen A. dissects how Trump's behavior may be energizing the progressive movement, citing New York candidate victories and growing influence of figures like Zora Mamdani, and the implications for Schumer, Jeffries, AOC, and Sanders.

  • “Trump is scared because he's got other fish to fry...and a midterm loss may derail his plans.” [13:55]

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4. The Interview: Senator Elissa Slotkin on Iran, National Security, and Political Paralysis

[35:30 - 50:45]

The Iran Deal and War

• Slotkin’s Take:
  Slotkin lambasts the Trump-brokered Iran deal, arguing it’s inferior even to the much-maligned Obama-era JCPOA:

  • “It's just...less than Obama got through negotiation, period. That's not a matter of opinion.” – Sen. Slotkin [37:23]

• War Spending & Cost Transparency:
  Both are incredulous at the lack of transparent figures:

  • “How is a president spending taxpayer dollars and we don’t know specifically how much? …He doesn’t want people to quietly think to themselves like that.” – Sen. Slotkin [38:25]

Threats to America

• Slotkin on the Biggest Threat:
  “I think the number one threat to the United States of America is the shrinking middle class…If that’s not a thing in our country, people turn on each other…That is the bigger threat.” [42:57]

Democratic Party Self-Critique and Future

• Need for New Leadership:
  Slotkin is blunt about Democratic failures:

  • “Our political system is ill and both parties are just unwell…There is every single day a debate in the Democratic Party. For me…we need new leadership in the White House, the House and the Senate, and on both sides of the aisle.” [44:44, 46:06]

  • Smith presses her if that means replacing Schumer and Jeffries; Slotkin: “If people can't understand the game has changed and they can't adapt, then they need to let others lead.” [47:08]

• Caution Against Hard-Left Drift:
  Smith: “I don't want it to be leadership that leans more left to the Mamdanis of the world, to the AOCs, to the Bernie Sanders…Doing that is a mistake that will automatically ensure you lose a general election.” [47:31]

  • Slotkin: “What works in Manhattan doesn’t always work in a place like Michigan…You can have big and bold ideas that are also going to practically make people’s lives better.” [48:19]

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5. Listener Calls: Divided Perceptions & Personal Responsibility

[29:26, 53:00+ Interspersed]

• On Voting by Non-Citizens:
  Callers split on if it's a real threat (“crazy…like a five-year-old if he doesn’t get his way” [31:13]), with Smith clarifying facts but noting the political resonance of the issue.

  • “It's a solution looking for a problem…but if it works to influence the voter, where you think that's going to get them?” [68:52, 69:10]

• On Accountability and Blame:
  Multiple debates over Trump’s responsibility for Jan 6th, with Smith stating:

  • “We got individual responsibility. We got the power of will. God created all of us and gave us will. So we ain’t puppets on a string…” [60:48]

• Reflecting on Political Cynicism:
  Many callers express both fatigue and anxieties over the entrenched nature of the system. Smith often reframes, pushing for focus on actionable change instead of rehashing old, ineffective battles.

  • “If your officials are so petrified of who's in the White House that they forget to be petrified of us, we got a problem.” [87:54]
  • “Do your damn job instead of trying to keep your job.” [89:35]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen A. Smith:
  “He considers anything that doesn’t lead to him getting his way an emergency.” [03:30]
  “If you pass gas, they’ll say it’s perfume. And we understand that.” [07:20]
  “How in the hell…have you made, if you’re Donald Trump, nearly $4 billion and your children have made hundreds of millions… but the American people aren’t?” [13:41]

• Sen. Elissa Slotkin:
  “The number one threat to the United States of America is the shrinking middle class.” [42:57]
  “Our political system is ill and both parties are just unwell.” [44:44]
  “They are scared of him…They have literally given up on the Senate being a separate branch of government.” [41:05]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:58: Start of main content
• 02:00-15:00: Trump's political maneuvering, housing bill sabotage, Save America Act details
• 08:00 - 13:00: Trump family enrichment, ethical issues in politics
• 16:00 - 32:00: Debate on voter ID, migrant voting, progressive wins, party fractures
• 35:30 - 50:45: Senator Elissa Slotkin interview (Iran deal, threats to America, Democratic self-critique)
• 53:00 - 76:00: Callers on personal responsibility, whether Trump is to blame, and the futility of repeating failed strategies
• 86:47 - 94:23: Discussion on Social Security, advice for actionable change, strengthening constituent power

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Episode Themes & Tone

Stephen A. Smith’s approach is sharp, sometimes confrontational but always direct—he is adamantly non-partisan, demanding accountability across the board. The tone is energetic, often exasperated (“Now you got me sounding like a damn conservative…”), but not defeatist. The episode is a whirlwind tour through the chaos of American politics in 2026, capped off by Slotkin’s incisive analysis and a strong call to refocus from blame games to practical political action.

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Final Takeaways

• Trump’s continued dominance over GOP strategy is rooted in power preservation, not policy wins—and this may be inadvertently fueling a progressive surge.
• Systemic enrichment of politicians is rampant and rarely challenged—Smith’s critique is that this only stings when regular Americans are left behind.
• Amid the noise, the real existential threat—as Slotkin underscores—is economic anxiety and a shrinking middle class driving polarization.
• Voter ID and “illegal voting” debates are more political theater than large-scale problem, but remain potent motivators among the electorate.
• Fixation on old battles (impeachment, relitigating Jan 6, etc.) is wasted energy—Smith urges actionable focus and greater accountability for elected officials in both parties.
• Leadership—across BOTH parties—needs to adapt or step aside, with Smith and Slotkin identifying a hunger for pragmatic, problem-solving voices over ideological extremes.

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Transcript

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Muscle Milk protein for all. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. What's up, everybody? Welcome to this latest edition of Straight Shooter with yours truly, the one and only Stephen A. Coming at you as I love to do every Wednesday night. Over to airwaves with SiriusXM POTUS radio channel 124. Number to call up, as always, is 86696 POTUS. That's 866-9967-6887. Feel free to call in. Let me get right to it. Senator Lisa Slotnick will be on the show with us a little bit later. Democratic Senator, uh, she'll be on the show with us a little bit later. Um, obviously for a lot of Democrats, this might be a decent day. Decent day to talk because they know they have a president in the White House that's nervous as hell. Donald Trump is quivering in his boots. He ner. He's nervous as hell. He slice any way he wants to. That's what this comes down to. Y' all heard the news. Y' all have been around. You've been paying attention right now. The president showed up on Capitol Hill today, okay, Wednesday, engaged in a fiery clash. Reading for the Wall Street Journal. Engaged in a fiery clash over the Iran war with one of his top Republican critics. Just hours after the president blindsided lawmakers by insisting they pass a long stalled voting security bill before he would sign legislation to lower the cost of housing. It was a lunch meeting with GOP senators. It was called to bring focus to the Save America act, which Trump has deemed critical to win in the midterms and obviously he doesn't have the votes necessary in order to pull it off. He needs 60 in order to get it done. He's at 53 because not a damn Democrat is going to vote for it. And some Republicans are telling them it's dead on arrival. Why are we even focusing on this today? This afternoon, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, the 47th President of the United States, wrote on this truth social post. Today's housing news conference and signing is hereby canceled until such time as we passed the desperately needed Save America act, which I consider to be a national emergency. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President djt you're damn right he considers it a national emergency because he considers anything that doesn't lead to him getting his way an emergency. And as a result, he's not going to get his way with this, the SAVE Act. Understand what that's all about? You understand you're requiring IDs and all of this other stuff that comes with it for migrants that are in this country because the president is very, very nervous. His mentality is that if they don't get this act passed, the Republicans, the gop, are going to lose the midterms, and if they lose the midterms, his power is going to be significantly diminished. And that's exactly what he doesn't want. I don't want to hear all of this stuff that's nonsense about impeachment and all this. That's just wasting America and taxpayer dollars and there's a bunch of noise and there's much to do about nothing. If you couldn't get him when he was out the office and couldn't prevent him from becoming the 47th President of the United States after he was the 45th President of the United States. Don't come to me with some damn impeachment stuff. I don't want to hear it, to stop wasting American people's time with all of that. But what you can do is highlight how does housing bill that was passed in a bipartisan manner is something he's nixed, at least momentarily because he's not getting what he wants. Remember, the Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority in the Senate. They've got a majority in the House as well, even though they're worried about losing that. And right now you've got Republicans that are against them. Remember this housing bill that we're talking about that's supposed to make it easy for home buyers, minimizing costs, making it easy to build homes, et cetera. A bill drafted by Democratic senator out of Massachusetts, the one and only Elizabeth Warren. It was a bipartisan bill that was passed in the House, the housing bill, 85 to 5 majority. Send a Senate that I'm talking about here in the House. Legislation was cleared. Was cleared Tuesday by a vote of 358 to 32. And the president comes in at the 11th hour and he says, Nick's all of that. I don't want to do this because of the SAVE Act. That's why he's doing this. We all know what this is about. The brother's nervous. The President's nervous because the Democrats are gaining traction every single day, it appears. And his mentality is going to be, excuse me. It's because they're gonna have migrants voting for them. And I'll get into that for a second, which I can assure you, embrace you, that the Democrats ain't gonna be pleased with what I have to say about that part. But sticking with Trump and his evident paranoia, the fact of the matter is, he isn't. The GOP is in danger of losing the House. The Democrats have gained momentum. But instead of the Democr. Instead of the President looking at his Republican colleagues in the House and the Senate, he needs to look in the mirror. You got a war going on with Iran that was supposed to take four weeks. It's been over four months. You got tens of billions of dollars that have already been spent, if not hundreds. You're asking for 88 billion. After you ask for 80 billion. What happened in the last week that you need 8 billion more dollars, more dollars. You got all of that going on. But affordability is still an issue in the United States. Rising costs are still an issue in the United States. Gas prices, all pass prices, price of food, grocery, etc. Inflation has hit home here in the United States, and it hasn't been addressed to people's satisfaction. Now, you're gonna have people that come out there, and they're gonna support the president no matter what, because if he passes gas, they'll say it's perfume. And we understand that. But to the average American spectator looking at what's transpiring, maybe even devoid of all the facts, what's inescapable and undeniable is that this President hasn't focused nearly as much on issues going on in the United States of America compared to what he has been doing abroad. Look at that right there. The $88 billion request includes 67.1 billion for the Pentagon, 21 billion billion to rebuild, stockpiles of missiles used in the conflict. 17.3 billion for operations, 1.7 billion for military readiness, 1.5 billion for fuel cost and 11 billion for farm assistance. Somehow, some way, it wouldn't quite hit as hard. Somebody needs to tell a president

[Caller/Guest]

if

[Stephen A. Smith]

you had $2 billion to give to TSA workers instead of letting them starve for a month working for free, but you didn't mind doing that, wouldn't hit his home if you wasn't caught on the mic. Actually not caught. You said it in the mic. You didn't care about inflation. You haven't thought about it. You weren't concerned about it as a pertaining Iraq war, Iran, the war with Iran. I'm sorry, you said these things. You said these things. Meanwhile, affordability is an issue. It's undeniable. The Republicans themselves are asking him to address the economy. The housing bill is important to them as the midterm approaches because they need some level of evidence, some modicum of evidence, the that shows they're actually paying attention to what's going on in the lives of the American citizen out there who put them on Capitol Hill to look out for their interests, not your own. But the President hasn't done that. And not only has he not done that, there are other things that he has done that has caused incredible alarm. Gonna read some research to you. According to reporting from major news organizations including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Reuters and Associated Press, one of the most closely watched developments of Donald Trump's second term has been the significant increase in the value of Trump's family business holdings and investments. The administration embraced cryptocurrency in a way no previous White House had. Trump backed major pro crypto policies, including the creation of a national Bitcoin reserve. While Trump family linked crypto ventures expanded rapidly and attracted billions of dollars in investments. Investors tied to foreign governments, including the United Arab Emirates poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Trump family crypto projects. These investments helped drive the value of ventures connected to the President and his family. While ethics experts raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. At the same time, Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump continued expanding the Trump Organization organization's international footprint through hotel licensing and development deals in the Middle east and elsewhere, generating substantial fees and revenue. While their father occupied the White House, the family's business interest also expanded into defense technology. Trump family backed investors into the drone industry, supporting companies seeking Pentagon contracts and positioning themselves in one of the fastest growing sectors of the defense economy. The administration also launched a so called gold card program, creating a Fast track immigration pathway for wealthy foreign investors. Supporters argued the initiative would attract capital and economic growth. Critics argued, however, it gave affluent applicants special access unavailable to ordinary immigrants. FORBES and other financial analysts have estimated that Donald Trump's personal fortune has grown substantially because during his second term, driven largely by the rising value of his media, real estate and cryptocurrency holdings, analysts have estimated that the combined value of the Trump family's assets has reached many billions of dollars. According to Forbes, Donald Trump's net worth has increased by roughly 3 to 4 billion dollars since he took office for a second term in January 2025. Supporters of the administration counter that the Trump family business activities were publicly disclosed, that many of the investments were made by private actors, and that no court or government investigation has concluded that any laws were broken. All of this occurred while many Americans continued struggling with the cost of living. Housing costs remained elevated. Grocery prices remained a major concern. Energy prices fluctuated throughout the period. Inflation and affordability consistently ranked among voters. Top issues. You know what stood out to me? One of those last sentences I just read with you. Read to you. Supporters of the administration counter that the Trump family's business activities were publicly disclosed, that many of the investments were made by private actors, and that no court or government investigation has concluded that any laws were broken. Who said anything about laws being broken? What they're saying is that that's where your focus lies, proliferating your own wealth and that of your family and your cronies at the expense of the American people. That's what that's saying. We ain't getting into the law and playing that game that these Democrats playing. You listening to somebody neutral right here? I got news for y'.

[Caller/Guest]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't give a how much money Trump makes for himself or his family, as long as you looking out for the American people. If the American people are becoming more affluent, if the American people are profiting, if the American people's lives are better, man, get your money. You are a businessman before you got into office. You're going to be a businessman if and when you're gone. And your sons, Donald Jr. And Eric, man, go ahead, make your money. As long as the American people are making it, too. How in the hell are you May have you made, if you're Donald Trump, nearly $4 billion and your children have made hundreds of millions, if not billions, and your cronies have made billions, if not trillions. Yeah, Mr. Elon Musk. But you could try to start a slush from $1.8 billion of taxpayer money to fund the insurrectionists on Capitol Hill from January 6th. You couldn't come out of pocket and pay that yourself. US national debt added daily since October is at 5 billion a day. You couldn't add that your damn self. You couldn't figure out along while making your billions, while your cronies are making their billions and at least one making over a trillion. You couldn't find a way to say, here's $1.8 billion out of this pot. See, that's what we're talking about here. And this man is up on Capitol Hill right now trying to rile up the Republicans to show that they got some guts, that they got a spine to ward off the Democrats. Because Zora Momdani in New York City as the mayor, endorsed a couple of candidates and those candidates won and knocked out Democratic incumbents, which is fomenting disbelief that Mamdani and the Momdanis in this country are growing before our very eyes. Trump is scared because he's got other fish to fry. He's got a bigger agenda, and it's going to elevate even more once the elections are over in 2026, because he can't do everything before then. He needs 2026 after November. He needs all of 2027 going into 2028 to finish getting done the things that he gets that he wants to get done. And so does his cronies and so does his family. That's what he needs. And a midterm loss in the election doesn't help him. A matter of fact, it may hurt him significantly. It might derail his plans because clearly he had a master plan. Ladies and gentlemen, this ain't the Trump from 2016 to 2020. I keep telling y', all, the Democrats really, really messed up because you pushed him out of office. It wasn't just about the American people voting to get him up out of there. It's how you exacerbated the situation to such a degree that you put him in a position where he had four years to plot and to plan to do what he's been doing now, which is enrich himself. The question is, is it going to be at the expense of the American people, or shall I say how much? Because it's always at the expense of the American people. And in fairness to Trump, regardless of what administration is in the White House, it's always at the expense of the American people. But this is next level. I'll confess something to y'. All. Clinton was a lawyer in Arkansas, grew up poor, relatively broken. How the Hell, him and the Clinton foundation is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Beats me. Barack Obama was a community organizer who became the President of the United States. And last time I checked, that salary ain't over $450,000, if I remember correctly. I got to double check that how the hell you depart from office, you were over $200 million. It's amazing to me how these politicians go into office and you're sworn to serve the American people. It's called service. But somehow, some way, they always depart exponentially richer than when they arrived. And how no matter how hard we try, we can't get rid of lobbyists on Capitol Hill because the lobbyists are the ones funneling money into their pockets. We were born at night, not last night. We know what the hell is going on. But having said all of that, it is what it is. I'm not going to sit up here and lament that Donald Trump and his family and cronies are making money. I'm upset that it don't seem like the American people are. I don't give a damn what money politicians slide into their own coffin from time to time. If the American people are prospering, get yours. It's a capitalistic society. Don't be a criminal about it, but get yours. If it's legal and legit and you have an opportunity to funnel some dollars into your pocket, I'm cool with it. If the American people are prospering. But last time I checked, that's not the case. And because that's not the case, we're living in a different world right now. Donald Trump goes up on Capitol Hill, wants to push forth the Save America act, you know, voter citizenship, proof of id, all of this other stuff. Senator Susan Collins has been against them. Lisa Murkowski has been against them. Mitch McConnell has been against them. Thom Tillis has been against him. They joined Democrats in blocking, you know, that kind of legislation, knowing that you need 60 votes. And Donald Trump is nervous because he needs immigration, because he knows he can live on that. Did you hear him at the rally? Did you hear him when he was talking to reporters? Did you hear him what he allegedly said to the senators at the lunch today? He said people are falling asleep when they bring up the housing bill, but when he brings up immigration and when he brings up the SAVE act, they don't want to leave. They're standing up and roaring for him. He's riding on this. He's riding on this. Which is why I keep telling Democrats, don't be stupid, don't play into his hands. Especially if you're the state of California. See, Mom Donnie in New York, say what you will, but they work in the streets and knocking on doors and got people voting for them. That's different than what's happening in California. In California, do you see some of the stuff that's going on? You got to remember that when you're Trump and you're the gop, of course you believe that when it comes to the Democrats. The reason that progressives want the SAVE act next and they don't want it in place is because they're planning on using those migrants as voters. You know why people on the right believe Trump when he says that the election was rigged? Because they don't believe that Biden legitimately got 11.8 million more votes than Barack Obama now. I believe it. You know, I don't because I don't believe they voted for him. I think they were voting against Trump, but they don't believe that. They believe there's no way in hell that Biden got $11.8 million, 8 million more votes and that they believe the system was rigged. And then you go back to the archives and you look at certain things. California enacted two laws expanding access to state issued identification for residents regarding regardless of immigration status. A 2013 law, AB60, allows eligible residents who cannot prove lawful presence to obtain a California driver's license. And a 2022 law, AB 1766, extends eligibility for standard state identification cards regardless of immigration status, with implementation scheduled for July of 20. Both forms of identification are marked as not valid for federal purposes under real ID requirements and do not confer voter eligibility, employment authorization or legal immigration status. But California pushes it anyway. That's why Trump is scared. Because when you have Mandani in New York and he's beating the drum from a progressive standpoint in that regard, which, by the way, has Senator Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a world of trouble, by the way, because they ain't the progressive left. They're traditionalist from the Democratic side. They could be in some trouble now. And look at AOC and the Bernie Sanders continue to elevate in the mind's eye of the Democratic Party as time moves forward, you also have that going on. And while you have that going on, you've got, though nearly 3,000 miles away on the west coast in the state of California, a facilitation process being pushed forward with people trying to put in place to make it easier, if not flat out legal for migrants to vote. Remember in la, City Council had to deal with some folks that spoke out because they were trying to facilitate folks who are not American citizens being able to have a say in local elections. This is what Trump and the GOPC is going on. It's why he's nervous and that's why he showed up on Capitol Hill earlier today going ballistic, getting into it with Senator Cassidy and others, because he's saying, get up off your ass. Because the Democrats gonna do whatever they can do to win and to compromise our power. What y' all gonna do about it? Stop trying to play fair and all. That's what he's saying. That's what he's saying. He might even have a point. Here's the problem. His tendencies, the factual evidence, his proclivities prove that anything he opens his mouth about and utters is always for him first, not the American people. And it appears as if far more Americans than not are figuring that out. Which means, do you know how to step aside and watch Trump implode?

[Caller/Guest]

Or

[Stephen A. Smith]

do you engage in acts of stupidity out of arrogance or a hatred or such a hatred for him that your objectivity and your smoothness and just your strategic mindset and mentality goes out the window because you give in to your emotions? These next few months are going to be interesting and I'm here for it. 86696 POTUS is the number to call up. That's 866-967-6887. You're listening live to Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Don't. The World cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet. Billions of people watching, national pride on the line, and the energy absolutely electric. And for the first time since 1994, the World cup is coming back to the U.S. mexico and Canada. You know what that means? No waking up at some ridiculous hour just to catch kickoff. And if you call yourself a sports fan, you better not miss a single moment. That's where Sling comes in. Sling gives you instant access to the World cup without overpaying or over committing to a bunch of extra nonsense. Watch every match and more, Starting at just $24.99 a month in select markets. So do yourself a favor. Unleash your World cup passion with Sling. Watch the games you want, win you want with no long term commitment. Sling lets you do that. Visit sling.com to learn more.

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Look, I'm sorry, if you're asking me to get into Donald Trump's head and figure out what's going on there, you need somebody else. I just, I don't have any idea. This just doesn't make any sense other than whatever it is he wants to do.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

It's a complete indifference to the cost squeeze on American families and to genuine efforts to do something about it.

[Caller/Guest]

You know, he could be over here trying to claim a victory lap and instead he's saying, no, no, he doesn't

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

want anything to do with it.

[Caller/Guest]

It's because he really doesn't care about American families. My reaction is truth of the matter. I spoke to the President for 20 minutes before I went in and gave that rousing speech to the House Republicans this morning.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He and I have talked about this a lot.

[Caller/Guest]

He has expressed his, the priority and the preference of the Save America Act.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We share that.

[Caller/Guest]

We passed it three times in the House. The latest version was passed a few months ago and it has proof of citizenship to register to vote and the proof of showing a photo ID when you show up to vote. Basic issues that 90% of Americans agree, 70% of Democrats think you ought to have a photo ID to vote. And citizenship to vote in an American election is already in the law.

[Stephen A. Smith]

First of all, respectfully to the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. He didn't even know about the two truth social posts that Trump put up before making the statement that he made right there, there. That's number one. And number two, Senator Elizabeth Warren. She has every right to feel the way that she feels. She is not somebody that I enjoy listening to, to be quite honest with you. I've often said that that's the one politician on earth that I never want to interview. I've always said that. And I don't hate her or despise her. It's nothing negative like that. I'm quite sure she's a wonderful woman. My issue with Elizabeth Warren is that if you don't agree with her, she makes you feel like you're going to hell. I've often said that about her. It's a tongue in cheek comment, but that's all it is, it's like, my God, she, you have to agree with her. Her high ground is so, her, her moral high ground is so far and above everybody else's that to disagree with her, it's like, you're going to hell. You're destined for hell. And that's why I, I just, it's hard for me to listen to her. But in this particular instance, she was right, because there's really no excuse. The bill is dead on arrival. You're not passing it. Trump knows this. Everybody knows this. What are you doing? What are you talking about? To address the housing concerns, particularly considering the cost of living and how it's elevated, how the value of the dollar has diminished, how inflation has affected all of us, has ravaged all of us as regular American citizens. Not Trump, of course. How are you going to have a bill passed in a bipartisan manner? The vast majority of senators and congressional figures all agreed, and you're nixing it. To push forward a bill that has no chance in hell of passing? So Elizabeth Warren is right with what she said in terms of how it appears. At the very, very least, there's no getting around that. And that needs to be said. Triple A, mad door. I'm sorry, eight, six. I'm sorry, eight six, six, nine. 96 POTUS. That's the number called 866-967-68-8, seven. Jennifer, who do we have on the phone? Tom in California. You're live with Stephen A. What's up?

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Stephen. A first time talking to you. I like, I really like the show, but I live in California, and when I go to vote, they ask for my id, and I don't have a problem with that. And no, no immigrants that are in this country illegally are allowed to vote, no matter what.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're not allowed to. They're not allowed to vote. I read to you what California has proposed. It's a matter of record, sir. So I didn't say it's hap. I didn't say it's happening. I said they're trying to make it happen. And that's what some of the GOP and Republican members have been complaining about. It's in the articles, it's in the news.

[Caller/Guest]

I didn't say it's happening in local elections or in presidential elections.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, we're talking, we're talking about. Well, first of all, a lot of things start off locally, and I did say local. I didn't say a presidential election. You're bringing up a presidential election. I'm talking to you about presidential Fears because of things that are happening locally. New York is not a general election. New York was in New York. But it doesn't stop Trump from reacting to what he's seen from Mom, Donnie, and the impact that he's having with the progressive left.

[Caller/Guest]

I got another quick question about the housing thing. Doesn't that get through if he vetoes it? Doesn't it go in automatically in a certain amount of days?

[Stephen A. Smith]

About two weeks? It could, it could in about two weeks. I think the process is about two weeks. They don't need his signature in order for it to go into law in a matter of two weeks. That's what I read in the Wall Street Journal today. Assuming that's accurate, the number was two weeks. But the point is, is that that's two weeks before it passes. Why do all of that when you know it has a snowballs, no snowball's chance in hell of getting what you want? Why are you being a brat and delaying that process?

[Caller/Guest]

Crazy. And he just wants, he just wants to get it his ways. Like a five year old if he doesn't get it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's what, well, that's what I said. That's why I alluded to.

[Caller/Guest]

I agree.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's what I'm saying. All right, thank you so. Thank you so much. Appreciate the call. Thank you. Kenneth, South Dakota, you're live with Stephen A. How are you? Kendall in South Dakota?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm an over the road truck driver. I go to California every week. I load produce and when I go to the coolers and I talk to a lot of the people working there, a lot of them are undocumented and I, you know, you get to know them over time. You run into the same guys all the time and a lot of them vote, they laugh about it and they're undocumented.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You said they vote. You said they do vote.

[Caller/Guest]

They do.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Sir, Sir, I have an audience. I don't understand you. I'm asking a question. You're saying they did, they do vote.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, they claim and they vote. They told me they vote.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

You know, I wasn't standing there next to them while they were doing it, but yeah, there's no, I'm not, I'm not refusing it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm not, I'm not refuting it. I'm saying you came across muzzled and I didn't understand what you were saying. So I was trying to make sure that my listeners understood exactly what you were saying.

[Caller/Guest]

That's all in the politics of California are directly traceable, you know, it started kind of with me, one Bob Dornan, when he lost that, that's when it kind of started, you know, the undocumented voting. He complained bitterly about it at the time.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen, here's the bottom line. You're not supposed to be able to vote if you're not here legally, period. You're not supposed to be able to vote, period. That's just a fact. If you have folks, one would argue, if you're facilitating somebody to get an ID and all that's required is an ID in order for you to vote, then essentially that means that illegals who get their hands on an ID are going to be allowed to vote. What they're doing, if that's what they're doing, and if that's what they're doing, if, if, if that's what is being done, then that's an argument that the right has.

[Caller/Guest]

Right now. We're basically a global citizen zone. Then you got the Democrats running around screaming at the top of their lungs they want to abolish ice. That means anybody that gets here stays here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Got you. Appreciate the call, man. Thank you so much. Triple A mad dog. I'm sorry. 968-6696 POTUS. 86696 POTUS. Senator Alyssa Slotkin. She's going to be up next. Can't wait to talk to her. She'll be here next. Straight shooter with yours truly. Don't go away. Why have I asked my H Vac

[Caller/Guest]

guy I found on angie.com to change my grandpa's trachea tube? I was so amazed at how he

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

replaced our air ducts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I knew I could trust him to

[Caller/Guest]

change Pop Pop's tube.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I think we should call a doctor, Angie.

[Caller/Guest]

The one you trust to find the ones you trust.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Find pros for all your home [e-mail]

[Caller/Guest]

traditional home security only alerts you after a break in. And that's too late.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Simplisafe is changing that. Stop.

[Caller/Guest]

This is Simplisafe.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Police are on the way.

[Caller/Guest]

We don't just alert, we stop crime before it's safe. Starts Simplisafe plans starting around a dollar a day. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at simplisafe.com sxm or with

[Stephen A. Smith]

promo code sxm Outdoor deterrence requires a Simplisafe Active Guard Outdoor protection plan starting at 49.99amonth. Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information. Tennessee 2012. 41 minutes. 42 minutes past hour number one back in here. I'm straight Shooting with yours truly, Stephen A. Let me get right to this. Before her time in Congress, my next guest spent years in the intelligence community, serving three tours in Iraq as a CIA analyst and holding senior security roles at the Pentagon. Today, she is a leading voice in the Senate on economic security and defending the American middle class, representing the great state of Michigan. Please welcome a senator I had the absolute pleasure of meeting weeks ago. Wonderful to have her on the show today. Alyssa Slotkin. Senator Alyssa Slotkin, welcome to Straight Shooter. How are you? How's everything?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Great to be with you. Thanks for having me. I'm. I'm doing good.

[Stephen A. Smith]

My pleasure. Thank you for being here. Let's get right to it because I know your time is limited. The Trump Iran deal is done. You called it. You said that it's worse than the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement under Obama. Please explain why.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Yeah, I mean, look, I think it's important to call balls and strikes when it comes to matters of national security. So taking all the politics out of it, the president said he was going to annihilate their nuclear capability, ballistic missile capability, their drone capability, and get rid of their regime. He did impact their nuclear capability, all of their military capabilities. But the deal that he just signed doesn't say anything about their ballistic missile capability into the future, nothing about their drone program. They closed the Strait of Hormuz and now have sort of a veto on anything that goes through the Strait of Hormuz. And yes, he killed the regime. He killed a bunch of members of the regime, but you just kind of got the same flavor in power. So it's cost us in lives. We lost service members. But, you know, they just put forward a huge request for $80 billion to cover the cost of the war. So you just have to, like, do 88 now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Is it 88 now?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Sure, give or take. I'm sure it's even one of 8

[Stephen A. Smith]

billion in the last week.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Right, Right. But I think, I think you just. Is the juice worth the squeeze? When you go to war? And given the price tag that the American public is paying, the price tag that we still have yet to pay to cover our munitions and all the, all the armaments we used, I think it's hard to say in any capacity that this is. That it was worth it. And then if you compare it to what Obama signed, you know, what was called the Iran deal, the jcpoa, I mean, it's just, it is less than Obama got through negotiation, period. That's not a matter of opinion. And so, you know, that is it Is hard for me to say by any measure that it was, it was a good deal.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How much money have we spent on a war in Iran with, with Iran, I mean, four or five months.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

It's hard to know. It's hard to get a straight figure. I think the floor is probably close to 80 billion, but I've heard numbers as high as 350 billion. I mean, that is big money.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, but you're, you're a senator, and we have senators and we have congressional figures that can't give us a definitive number. He's the president, but he's not you guys. How is that possible? How do you not know? I'm not getting on you. Please don't get me wrong. You any senators, but I'm asking the question, how do we not know? How is a president spending taxpayer dollars and we don't know specifically how much taxpayer dollars has been spent?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Yeah, because this president doesn't want to talk about the price tag of this war because he knows he didn't get a good deal out of it and it wasn't worth it. Right. So he's hiding the ball. He's now actually put forward a request. This is new, right? For this 88 billion. Like you said, this 80 plus billion. But I think that's low based on the, just in the amount of armaments we're expending. He's trying to keep it as quiet as possible so that you don't think to yourself, like, wait a minute, I pay more in my gas, I'm paying more as a farmer for things like fertilizer. And, and now I've got a huge other bill. What could we be doing as a country with $80 billion? He doesn't want people to kind of think quietly to themselves like that. So he, he, he sends in the minimum paperwork. He needs that money. He wants to do it in the hush of night because he doesn't want you to think about how much he spent.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I'm thinking about this as well, because somebody like yourself, you worked at the CIA, the Pentagon, and on national security committees. We've been assured that his priority was ensuring that Iran would not have a nuclear weapon. Has that been secured? Has at least that promise been fulfilled? And bottom line is, under President Trump, is it making America safer or less safe than it was before all of this?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

So the only thing we know is that the US And Iran have agreed to talk about the nuclear program. We don't have talk. We have an agreement to talk further. That's it. We do not have Any specific commitments. We certainly don't have any final commitments to never have a nuclear weapon. None of that. None of the things the President said he was going to get so we could get there. I would be shocked, but we could get there. But right now, just in black and white, we have a commitment to talk further about their nuclear program.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Explain to the senator, slogan, explain to the average American out there. How in the hell in a democracy is any elected president getting away with. Well, you know, we. We've talked and we've signed an agreement to talk, but we haven't necessarily committed to anything. And when we have 435 representatives and 100 senators, along with a whole bunch of people that works in his cabinet that are supposed to, you know, swore to take an oath on behalf of America, you know, enemies, foreign and domestic, all of this other stuff. How in God's name is this. Is he getting away with that part of it all? I don't understand how he's pulling that off with all of y' all on Capitol Hill supposedly to police him.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

I. I will tell you that the people who run the House and the Senate are just scared of him. Stephen. There's just not. I. You don't. There's not a fancy explanation. They are worried about their own careers, their own opportunities, so they do not provide any oversight, any accountability on what he does. They've literally given up. On the Senate being a separate branch of government, on the House being a separate branch of government. They do. I mean, today we were about to sign a housing bill. I mean, it was amazing. We were about to sign a bipartisan housing bill, something that every American knows we have got to lower the cost of a home. Right? Period. He had a big, fancy event. Flags and the. The chairs were set up. There was a stage. My Republican colleagues who pushed this bill are up there giving speeches, and no one, you know, was on their phones to see that the President is refusing to come and sign it. He's refusing because he wants them to do something else for him before he'll sign a housing bill that will help Americans. So, And. And what do they do? They just say, okay, you know, fine. Sorry, we. We got something wrong. The President wants something else. They are scared of him. And when that takes over and when people say, I'm just not going to. To poke and ask tough questions, the accountability that you get through the system of government that our founding father set up just collapses. And that is. So. It's fear. It's literally, they're scared of him coming after them. On Twitter.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Senator Alyssa Slotkin from Michigan right here with Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Right now, when we talk about things having to be that we all have to worry about, Iran, obviously, is something that has us concerned. Is it Iran, Is it China, Is it Russia, Is it terrorism? What's our biggest threat right now? Somebody like you are more qualified, you're more qualified to know the most.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Yeah. So I spent my life in national security, and all of the, the things you listed are serious concerns. Terrorism, all those things. I will tell you, I've had a real, over the last eight years, I've had a real sea change in what I see as the actual existential threat to our country. I think the number one threat to the United States of America is the shrinking middle class. I, I genuinely think that if we are a country where you cannot just work hard, play by the rules, you do well and you, your kids do better, you can't buy a house, have a secure life if that no longer is a thing. In our country, people turn on each other. They start looking for people who don't look like them or talk like them or pray like them, and they want someone to blame. I think that is the bigger threat and it creates a political system that we have now where every four years we elect someone totally different. We're on this pendulum swing from Obama to Trump to Biden to Trump. We can't stick to our, our guns. We can't make a policy that lasts more than five years. We're doing it to ourselves. So that's what I think is the number one threat to America.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What, you know, I enjoyed. In the interest of full disclosure, we met for the first time face to face when both of us was on Real Time with Bill Maher in LA a couple of months ago. It was my absolute pleasure, the pleasure to be on that panel with you. And I was looking forward to having this kind of discussion with you. You know, I'm wondering what role, when you bring up your concerns in that shrinking middle class, what role do the Democrats play in the state of our affairs in this country? Because let's be clear, the Democrats are not innocent in all of this. Their hands are dirty in all of this, too. Can you talk about that for a second and what you think your party has done wrong and should do differently?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Yeah, I mean, first of all, our political system is ill and both parties are just unwell. Unwell. Certainly Democrats got shellacked in 2024. I was in a swing state. I won that same year. And to me, it was Very simple. The Democrats had a million priorities. They tried to make everybody happy. They tried to answer every single question. And when you prioritize nothing, no one knows what you stand for. Donald Trump came in and he said, I got one thing I'm going to do. I'm going to make your life more affordable. I'm going to put more money in your pocket. And he won because he kept it simple and he focused on the primary issue that the American public actually wants answers on. Democrats didn't lost, got shellacked, and we haven't fully gotten back on our feet since then. There is every single day a debate going on in the Democratic Party. And for me, this is why I'm a big believer in just new leadership, significant change. The old models do not work for people, and that includes in the Democratic Party.

[Stephen A. Smith]

When you say new leadership.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What do you mean by that? It's not. You're not just talking about Trump being out of office. You talk about leadership within the Democratic Party as well, are you not?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I, I think since Biden was in, like, we need new leadership in the White House, the House and the Senate, and on both sides of the aisle, that includes Democrats. Okay. And I think we have literally found ourselves in a situation where we just don't have people who understand the moment and understand what leadership means. That you chart a course and you explain to people, how are we going to get from this dark moment to a better place instead of just circular, firing squad, you know, demondem, violence. They are, they. No one is talking about what they want to do. And that, to me, is a fundamental of leadership.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now, Senator Slotkin, you do know, I want to make sure that I give you cover here. Let everybody know. Let me make sure you're clear when you talk about new leadership. While Hakeem Jeffries is the Democratic leader in the House and Chuck Schumer is the Democratic leader in the Senate. When you talk about new leadership, that would mean they're out in favor of somebody else. Is that what you're saying?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

I. I'm saying if people can't understand that the game has changed, I mean, this is you. This is. You're the sports guy. If people can't understand that the game has fundamentally changed and they can't adapt, then they need to let others lead. And I, I think that is what we're seeing across the country, is that people are saying, I want something different. I don't know what it looks like. I don't know exactly what that means, but I want something different.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, let me say this to you, and maybe I'm a little biased because I spoke to you and I happen to love talking to you. You, I got a lot of admiration for you. So I got a soft spot for Senator Slotkin here. I mean, when we're talking about new leadership, here's the deal. I don't want it to be leadership that leans more left to the Mamdanis of the world, to the AOCs of the world, to the Bernie Sanders of the world, because I believe in a capitalistic society. I don't believe socialism is cutting it. And I think doing that is a mistake for the Democratic Party that will automatically ensure that you will lose a general election. But if you're talking about somebody like Senator, Senator Slotkin, who I do not find to be of, of, of the hard leaning progressive toot, that would be a bit different.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

I think what we're seeing. I think what we're, I think what we're. Thank you. First of all, I think what we're seeing in the election of some of these new faces is like a public that's desperate for something new. It does not have to all look like what we just saw, let's say, in the New York primaries. Right? We got a big country. We got a big country. I'm from Michigan, I spent a lot of time in the Midwest and what works in Manhattan doesn't always work in a place like Michigan. And so I think we can, we can disagree about the, the style and the direction and look, I'm, I'm very different than the folks who got elected last night in New York City. We can disagree about the policies. What I think is hard to miss is that people just want something different and they're, they're not okay. The status quo that they've kind of grown up with has not served them and so they want something different. And I think, but for, for to your point about left versus you know, moderate versus the whole thing, I think as someone who tends to be, I kind of a pragmatist. I really believe that we got to solve problems, that we also have to be big and bold. We can't just like kind of always tack to the safe and the middle. You can have big and bold ideas that are also going to practically make people's lives better. And that to me is the sweet spot. You need something new, but it needs to actually make people's lives better.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Quick answer to this question because I only got about 60 seconds left. Based on what happened the other night, In New York, with the Mamdani backed candidates who won, Is that going to be something that helps the Democratic Party as the midterms approach, or will it hurt them in favor of the gop?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

I think it depends on where you're running. There were a lot of Dem on Dem primaries yesterday. But let me tell you the one that I cared about, the flippable seat, New York 17. We had an army veteran win that race. I care about flipping seats. I care about actually winning. And that, to me, what works in Manhattan doesn't always work all over the country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Senator Slotkin, I can talk to you all day. Please come back when you have more time. You know you are always welcome here. It's so good to see you again. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come on tonight. And I look forward to talking to you again soon. Thank you so much.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

Thank you so much, Steven. Appreciate you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, no problem. The one and only Senator, Alyssa Slotknow out of Michigan. She's the real deal, y'.

[Caller/Guest]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I've had a pleasure talking to her. Knows her stuff, obviously has got credentials that most representatives do not have. The kind of person we need in office, need in an administration. You heard the word pragmatist, right? In other words, it is what it is. Let's deal with what's real as opposed to what we want to deal with. That's the kind of candidate that we need without question. So I love talking to her. I love talking to people like her. And I heard what she had to say about the Democratic Party, too. Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries. Things are getting a little bit uncomfortable, fellas. A little bit uncomfortable for y'.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm not wishing that. I'm just telling you that's how it is right now. Gotta deal with that. 86696, POTUS. That's the number to call up. That's 866-967-6887. Your call's up next. Got a bunch of lines open now. I'm available. We're back and forth, and I can't wait to have them with y' all for the next hour. It's Stephen A. In the house. Straight shooter coming your way back with hour number two in a minute. Why have I asked my h vac

[Caller/Guest]

guy I found on angie.com to change my grandpa's trachea tube? I was so amazed at how we

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

replaced our Air D, I knew I

[Stephen A. Smith]

could trust him to change Pop Pop's tube? I think we should call a doctor Angie the one you trust.

[Caller/Guest]

Define the ones you trust.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Find pros for all your home [e-mail]

[Caller/Guest]

in the US there's a break in every 26 seconds. But when intruders step near Simplisafe, home security steps up.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Stop. This is Simplisafe. Police are on the way.

[Caller/Guest]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

promo code sxm outdoor deterrence requires a Simplisafe Active Guard Outdoor Protection plan starting at $49.99 a month. Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information. Tennessee 2012 straight shooter with Stephen A.

[Caller/Guest]

But our economy is ready to soar to levels the world has not seen before. I believe that, David. I think it's going to levels that

[Stephen A. Smith]

nobody's ever seen before.

[Caller/Guest]

All these factories are being built and they're going to be occupied.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're hiring people now. It's going to be something very beautiful.

[Caller/Guest]

I don't know who's going to follow me, but remember that I was the one that did it. Okay? Somebody's going to walk into office and

[Stephen A. Smith]

they're going to have the most successful country in history having they're going to be bragging what a great job they

[Caller/Guest]

did and we did it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome to album number two, Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Coming at you as I love to do every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm Eastern Standard Time over the airwaves of SiriusXM POTUS Radio Channel 124. Number to call up, as always, is 86696 POTUS. That's 86696 POTUS. 866-967-6887. That is the number to call. Let's go to the phones because our number two is here. Thanks again to Senator Alyssa Slotkin out of Michigan for coming on the show with us for the last 20 minutes or so. Really enjoy talking to her. You heard what I had to say with my opening monologue about some of the things that's going on with Trump. It's in a panic mode. Didn't sound like that. It was a speech to folks in Pennsylvania talking about the economy and everything is great. I mean, everything's great. Everything's wonderful for him. I love how he could tell the American people. That's what I thought. How it works with politicians, elected officials is that you don't tell the American people what they're Feeling. They tell you what they're feeling because you're not living their life. That's how I thought it worked. Silly me. Ron. Where's he from? Jennifer? Ron. Ron in California, you're live with Stephen A. Ron, how are you? Good evening.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, thanks for taking my call. Stephen, I wanted to comment on the idea of illegal or undocumented immigrants voting. You know, we can't get poor citizens in this country to vote. The idea that people who are here illegally, who are at risk for arrest, jail and deportation by putting their faces out there publicly and voting is, it's, it stretches credibility. And I would, I think the gentleman who said that he'd met people, illegal immigrants, who were bragging about voting has a major credibility problem. Well,

[Stephen A. Smith]

you're saying they got a major credibility problem because you're saying that there's no truth to it, or you're saying they got a major credibility problem because anybody who would do something like that is a different form of stupid. What do you say?

[Caller/Guest]

I'll say dealer's choice.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, the reason I'm asking that question. All right, the reason. Well, well, you can't say they're lying because the fact is, is that you do have elected officials trying to facilitate migrants in the state of California getting IDs, and if you have an ID, once you show up to the voting booth, all they ask you for is your id, then you essentially would be allowed to vote. That's the point. So the point is, if you're, if you're going to get an id, you should have an ID because you're here legally. If you're here illegally, you shouldn't be able to get an ID because most people are not going to check your legalization status. They're simply going to ask you for an id. That's where the problem goes. See, this is why I have a problem. And let me ask, let me say this to you, Ron, before I let you speak. This is why I have a problem with sanctuary cities for this reason. See, my point is, is that if federal law mandates that, hypothetically speaking, I'm not saying this is or isn't a law, but I'm just speaking the hypotheticals. If federal law states that you have to be a citizen of the United States in order to have an id, and I believe that's law. The flip side to it is that you as a state shouldn't be able to turn around and say, we're going to ignore federal law. I don't like the idea of a state being able to USURP federal law when integration took place. And you, You. You had folks like Governor Wallace and other. Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. And willing to defy federal law before federal troops came in and allow those students to enter that school. What I'm saying to you is that if the states have the power to usurp federal law, then no progress would have been made in this country. That's where my concern grows. So I worry about something like that just on a principled basis. Ron, floor is yours. Go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

Okay, I understand what you're saying. Bottom line, though, is with or without an id. First of all, I'm having trouble picturing undocumented immigrants lining up to get IDs, and much less get IDs so they can vote. It's hard to get people who are. Who were born here to vote. And I think it's the concept that, that people who are undocumented and are risk for multiple. For being deported, for being jailed. There's absolutely no motivation. What, are you going to give them $5 apiece to go vote? It is just. It's a pro. It's. It's a solution in search of a problem. There's been no significant documented election fraud in this country. It's been looked for and looked for.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is true. That is true. But Timeout. We got to stop that. It's true what you just said. 77 million people feel otherwise. See, at some point in time, we got to bring it home. They don't believe that. They don't believe that. And then we see an article here. This is CBS News. Ron, Los Angeles. This is June 18th. This is a week ago, June 18th. The Los Angeles City Council on Thursday approved a ballot measure for the November election to allow non citizens to vote in local races. That's real, Ron. That's real.

[Caller/Guest]

And I agree with you. But to me, all this is symbolic because non citizens, especially those who are at risk, who are here, you know, without documentation, are not going to vote.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And Ron, Ron, Ron. That's like saying, let me say, let me bring it to you, Ron. That's like you living in a heart of New York City, right? Or in some desolate neighborhood with your door open, unlocked. There's a difference between your door being opened and unlocked and you swearing up and down, nobody's gonna rob my house. And you being able to close that door and lock it and provide an impediment to somebody trying to rob your house. You can't sit up there and say, oh, you know what? They're not going to vote. That's not the point. The point is they shouldn't be in a position where they're allowed to if they're not here legally. That's what a lot. That's what millions upon millions of Americans feel. And that is the reality of what you have to deal with, is what I'm saying.

[Caller/Guest]

And now I'm going to say I'm a physician, I know a little bit about neurophysiology, and I think that the 77 million people are evidence of the. How primitive the human mind really is and how susceptible it is to fear mongering, which is what Trump has used to create this antipathy and animosity towards people who are here undocumented.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I don't want to hear that from you. And you know why I don't want to hear that from you, Ron? Because that's taken away individual adult responsibility. How come he didn't convince you to be that way? How come he didn't convince me to be that way? You know, listen, I got a lot of problems with the President. I think his ass is trifling in some situations. I think he's. I think half the time he looks downright immoral, if not more. I don't like what I'm seeing him do in this country and I'm not a fan of it, and I've been on the record of saying that, but I can't blame him for every thing. I mean, come on, you can't sit up there. Grown ass adults. Grown ass adults, everything can't be. Trump incited it. Trump made them. Are you an adult or are you not? If you go out there and you commit a crime, you can't sit up there and blame Trump and say, he made me do it. Courts don't want to hear that. Your ass is going to jail. You're going to jail. That's the way it goes. I'll let you know. I let you talk enough. I've let you talk enough. Have a nice evening. You ain't talking anymore. I got other callers to get to. You can't do that. You can't do that. That's the problem that I have. And that's why I think that a whole Trump derangement syndrome thing, it's not that it's real, but it's a real excuse. Trump can't make me do a damn thing. If I don't feel it and I don't like it and I'm not down with it, I ain't doing it, period. Do I think that he incited people on January 6th? Sure I do. Do I think he should have shut his mouth and accepted an election result? Absolutely. Do I think that he was wrong to place Vice President Pence at the time in that position? Trying to get him to circumvent the Constitution of the United States and the whole transition process to a new administration? You're damn right I do. But I'd be damned if I think that he should be. If he should go to jail for people that was stupid enough to storm the nation's capital and try to overthrow a government, as Chris Rock would say, that was theirs. You gotta be kidding me. I mean, damn, what are we gonna blame him for next? The tie he wore, the shoes you elected to put on, the suit you elected to wear? We got individual responsibility. We got the power of will. God created all of us and gave us will. So we ain't puppets on a string and just following somebody to be following somebody. You can't blame him for everything. And I don't think. I'm not a fan at all. That man needs to go. I can't wait till he get his ass out of office. I can't wait. But everything ain't on him. You got that? You your own man and woman. You're an adult. Think for your damn self. You can't put everything on him like, oh, Trump incited this to.

[Caller/Guest]

Trump made.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Hey, made you do it, huh? Well, how come you didn't do it, Ron? How come a bunch of y' all out there didn't do it? There's 77 million people that voted for him. 76 plus million of them obeyed the law. They didn't do that. They ain't doing half the stuff people trying to blame him for because they have their own minds and their own thought process. Come on, man, y' all gotta stop this. Y' all gotta stop this. That, that, that, that. Now. Now you got me sounding like a damn conservative because I'm talking about individual responsibility. To me, it ain't about conservative. It ain't about liberalism. It's about being an adult. I just finished getting in my daughter's behind the other day. Want to hear about your friends? Want to hear about people that made you do. I'm about to send you to college. I'll be damned. You gonna come home to Daddy and tell me somebody made you do it? Ain't nobody makes you do a damn thing. I raised you to be strong and independent enough to think for yourself and exercise your common sense. I grew up in the streets of New York City, surrounded by criminals. Hollis, Queens. I was all over the borough. I ain't do no jail time. You know why? Because I ain't break laws. Some of my boys did. Some of my boys still doing time. Some of them dead. Others are alive because they were like me and never did anything to break the law. We couldn't tell the cops and the courts. They made us do it. The hell is wrong with y'?

[Caller/Guest]

All?

[Stephen A. Smith]

The hell is wrong with y'?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

All?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Ray in New York, you're live with Steve. I'm sorry. Amy in Texas. I apologize. Amy, in Texas, you're live with Stephen A. Straight shooting. Stephen A. Go ahead, Amy.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Stephen A. I just wanted to address what you said earlier about having an undocumented immigrant, having an ID and just being able to go to the polls. You still have to be registered to vote to vote. So just showing up with your ID isn't going to get you a ballot or get you to be able to be elected, and many states do. Give.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right there, Amy. Stop right there. You don't get to do that. Amy, that's with you. That might be in Texas. That might be in certain places. There's plenty of people that I've spoken to, and you're looking at one person. Nobody asked me for my voter registration. They asked me for my ID and took me right to the booth. I didn't always have to show my voter registration. When I was in New York, I did that. Florida, you know, I did that. But not every election. That's not true all the time, Amy,

[Caller/Guest]

they're looking you up to see if they're registered.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're supposed to. But the point is, is that there are cases where if you have an id, you can pull off getting. Getting the vote. That's a flaw in the system. That's a flaw in the system, Amy. You're right. You're not supposed to. But you and I both know that things happen and cracks fall through the system for the stuff fall through the cracks in our system.

[Caller/Guest]

You're right. And I think they found like 70 cases total of that ever happening.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, nobody is. Nobody is sitting. But nobody's sitting here getting into the numbers. Nobody's sitting here getting into the numbers. What we're saying is, first of all, why are y' all acting like I sat up there and said, we have an immigration problem when it comes to voting? I never said that. What I said is that the president and his side of the aisle is going to try to make that case. And when you have cases like Los Angeles City Council approving a ballot measure for the November election to allow noncitizens to vote in local races. And you saw what happened in New York with progressives endorsed by Mamdani winning in the primaries. That would explain why Trump looked like a paranoid puppy right now when he addressed the senators today. Because he's worried about the midterms. That is what I said. I did not say that. There's a whole bunch of migrants who are here legally that are voting. I did not say that. Why y' all calling me up and acting like I did?

[Caller/Guest]

Fair point. I was just addressing that. You said you could go in with your ID and they take it, but they're doing something with that to look you up in the system and they'll stop you from voting if you're not registered. That's all I'm saying.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I'm saying to you, you don't know of any case ever in America where somebody just showed their ID and they got to vote. You've never heard of anything else?

[Caller/Guest]

I'm saying we're just like the last caller said, Ron. I think, I think it's a problem looking for a solution, looking for a problem. This is not a problem in the United States right now. But you can play in the paranoia space and try and get low information voters all riled up about it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But Amy, Amy, let me help you out here. You said it's a solution looking for a problem. I got a question for you. Ain't that politics? Particularly around election time?

[Caller/Guest]

Yes, you're right. That is the way they play the game. You're absolutely right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you. That's all I'm trying to say. See, Amy, that's why I like you. Because even though you can't, you call up here the minute I sat up there and I threw that on you. You got it. That's all I'm trying to say. It doesn't have to be real. It could be imagined. It could be fabricated. If it works to influence the American voter, where you think that's going to get them?

[Caller/Guest]

You're totally right. That's exactly what's happening. It's. It's so obvious and we all just fall for it every time, both sides.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's all I'm saying. So I'm saying, Amy, thank you so much for the call. I really appreciate it.

[Caller/Guest]

Thank you so much.

[Stephen A. Smith]

866-9-6. POTUS says 866-967. 6, 887. You're listening live. Stephen A. Smith show. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Josh in Michigan, you're live. Go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, my man, I got. I just got a question. You. So I heard. I was listening to you earlier when you were talking about how people have to have individual responsibility because we're adults, and I agree. But at the same time, do you acknowledge that there is such a thing as a maga cult that doesn't question things that Donald Trump does?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Absolutely, but it's still their responsibility. Like. Let me, Let me. Josh. So check this out. Check this out, Josh. So you're a part of a cult, and the cult leader tells you to go down the street and assault and rob somebody who's getting arrested for assault and robbery.

[Caller/Guest]

No, I agree. I agree. You. You are. I agree with that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. The culpability lies on your shoulders. And the reason why it's important to remind people of that is to let people know you going down. Not them, you. Because what's going to serve as the ultimate deterrent, the ultimate deterrent is going to be that if you get to pass the buck and, and point the finger at somebody else for actions that one would argue you should easily be culpable for because you're the one who committed it and you're successful in passing a buck. How do we have law and order? How do we have it?

[Caller/Guest]

No, I mean, I, I agree. I agree with that, but you also have to. You also have to. You also have to hold the people that are, you know, inside if, If I tell someone to go and kill someone.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right, right.

[Caller/Guest]

That I'm still responsible for that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, check this out. Well, let me ask you this, Josh, So let's go to Trump route before I go to break. Let's go to Trump route for a second. Wasn't he impeached twice?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Didn't he lose a civil case that, that, that mandated he paid 454 million hours?

[Caller/Guest]

Yes.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know, didn't. Didn't he get convicted of 34 counts, you know, a felony? Didn't that happen?

[Caller/Guest]

Yes.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right. Did he not win. Did he not win the presidential election afterwards?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, there's a lot of factors.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Hasn't that ship sailed, Josh, If, I mean, if you will go. If you were gonna get him, Josh, wasn't that the time to do it?

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

How?

[Stephen A. Smith]

We live in a system, Josh, that mandates that if you're a convicted felon, you're not allowed to vote, but you can run for and win the presidency. Make it make sense.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

No, I agree.

[Caller/Guest]

That's crazy. I agree. That's Crazy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's the America we're living in. The politicians on Capitol Hill knew it and went after him futilely because they thought it would turn off voters and get them to veer away from him and not reelect him into office. When they thought that their arrogance elevated. And they started coming to us with identity politics and all of this other stuff because they tried to push everything, as Senator Slotkin just articulated less than an hour ago, they tried to appease everybody. Instead of having a principal position and holding firm to their policies and their ideological tilt and sticking with that, they tried to go for it all. And they forgot most of us along the way, which is what got him back in the office. And then y' all wonder why I'm pissed because they did it because you didn't play the game well enough. And he's back in office doing what he's doing. And what we gonna do, we gonna have the Josh's of the world and others making, respectfully making the same old argument. Hey, man, but don't you have to hold him accountable? It's the same argument as before. Josh, I'm not telling you you're wrong. I'm telling you it didn't work. He still got back in office. Why would I visit that now? And it didn't work to prevent it from becoming number 47. If it didn't work then, why the hell do I care now? That's what I'm saying, Josh. Do you understand that?

[Caller/Guest]

I understand. I think, I just think there's responsibility on both parties there. Like, like, like, you know, Ms. Lock, Ms. Lock and was saying earlier. I agree with that, but that's where I'm saying, like there's, there's bigger param parameters there where people have to acknowledge that Trump is responsible. And I think a lot of those people I like, I'm a Trump voter. I'm acknowledging that Trump is responsible and I'm acknowledging that there's things that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I'm not saying he's not responsible

[Caller/Guest]

for the election day.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm not saying he's not responsible. I'm saying I don't care because the argument didn't work to keep him out of office. That's what I'm saying.

[Caller/Guest]

That's a valid argument.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I want us to focus on what's going to work to get his ass up out of there. That's what I want. To mute his power, to dilute his power to some degree so he doesn't reign terror upon us from 2026 to 2028 while patting his own damn wallet at the expense of the American people. That's what I want to focus on. I don't want to focus on the same old same old that has already failed. These are the answers to the test. I got a F on it last time. I'm gonna give the same damn answers to the test next time.

[Caller/Guest]

Come on. Yeah, that's a valid argument.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Come on.

[Caller/Guest]

I agree. I agree.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Take it easy, Josh. 86696. Podium says 866-967-6887. You're listening live to the Stephen H. The Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Back with the final 30 minutes of your calls and more in a minute. Don't go away. Stephen A. Smith in the house. Straight shooter style, just the way I like it.

[Caller/Guest]

1.7 million in green cash. Remember on a 747, they blew over

[Stephen A. Smith]

piles of cash, $1.7 million, gave them

[Caller/Guest]

hundreds of billions of dollars and thought that they could rob them into p snow. The only thing they understand is what these guys in the front row understand is the hammer.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Because if you look at.

[Caller/Guest]

If you look at what we did to their nuclear capacity with those beautiful B2 bombers, that was truly a hammer. You got to ask him what it is.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The obsession. The obsession.

[Caller/Guest]

I know what it is. Yeah. I obviously, you know, have a room in his head rent free. You do everything with grace, a sweet in his head. But the thing about it is, that was always clear to me. Look, first of all, when I was president, the last thing I had time to do was worry about what somebody said somebody said or what my predecessor did. They're gone.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Amen to that. Amen to that. That was the 44th president. President of the United States of America. The one and only Barack Obama, speaking on the all the Smoke podcast. Speaking about President Trump. No. Last thing he had to worry about was what his predecessor did. He's absolutely right. But Trump doesn't think that way because Trump wants to make sure he has somebody to blame. That's how it goes. 86696. POTUS is the number quotas. 866-967-68867. I don't know who this call on line one is from Pennsylvania. Dino, you're live. Which on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Dino, Good evening.

[Caller/Guest]

First of all, what's happening? Uncle. It's Uncle Dino. Good to talk to you, man.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

And I'm calling from Pittsburgh, so I give you props on having this class to root for this for the Steelers, even though I don't know what the Hell they gonna do my brother.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I appreciate, I appreciate all that. I got calls on the line on my brother. You gotta get to your point. Go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

Listen. As a black conservative Republican, I've been registered as a Republican since 1982. I'm going to say this. Things have changed. And to be honest with you, I think Trump was needed. I say Trump is the guy that's the canary and the in, in the coal mine. Because of Trump and his attitude, we've got, we got the grass cut. We know where the stakes are. You know who the racists are, you know who are the hateful. I don't think it's all his fault. These are feelings that people have had forever and ever and they just have always hidden them.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I agree with that. I agree with that. I definitely agree with that. I think, I think, I think that there are an abundance of people out there who have used Trump as an excuse to feel the way that they feel, to verbalize things that they've verbalized and to act the way that they have acted. And Trump is just somebody that has made it easier for them to come out and express what was truly in their heart all along. I don't think he's transformed anybody. I think what he has done is pulled the curtain out and showed who is who. Now, that doesn't mean most GOP members or MAGA folks. And I don't do that. Okay. I think most people are God fearing individuals that care about the state of this country, whether it's affordability, whether it's the economy, whether it's inflation, whether it's national security, whether it's immigration, whether it's crime in the streets, safety in the streets, etc. I think people, pro choice, pro life, all people got their own issues that they care about in a paramount fashion compared to other issues. Okay, but there are some, but there are some people that all Trump did was pull the curtain back and this was the opportunity that they were waiting for to be able to show who they truly are and how they truly feel and to make themselves feel okay about it. And Trump is, and Trump has been that guy. But because they feel okay, because it's him, it does also say something about him. And that's what we got to remember.

[Caller/Guest]

But that's, but, but this is the deal, Steve. I don't care what you say. If somebody feels that way, you're not going to change their mind.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I agree. I didn't say that. I'm not refuting that. I'm not really.

[Caller/Guest]

No, no, I know You, I know you didn't. So that's. But that's what I'm talking about. When I hear guys like Josh, like your last caller, who wants to blame this and want to blame, Blame this person, blame that person, and you hit the nail right on the head. Listen, you do what's in your heart all the time. Very, very rarely does peer pressure come into play. That, that severe of, of Aspen, that was in your heart all the time.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Got you.

[Caller/Guest]

And so, so we're not gonna blame Trump. I'm not gonna blame.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, listen, listen. Again, again, you can blame him, but blame him for him. Don't blame him for other people. Dino, I gotta run. I appreciate the call. Thank you so much. Feel free to call back anytime. Is that OB in Texas? Is that who it is? You're live with Stephen A. Straight shooter. What's going on? Ob how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

Stephen A. How you doing, man?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm doing great. I'm doing good, man. Thank you for calling. Go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

Okay. I know you're busy. One of the points you made, I was driving home from work and you said, well, you know, the frustration is that he got. He got voted in the second time because of all. Despite all the stuff he was going down with. And I think, I think Stephen A. In our culture, we don't give up. Okay? Because we remember. Back with voting, back with, you know, when voted, we didn't have the right to vote 50, 40 or 5, 60 or 78 years ago. We didn't have this type of format on the radio. But our thing is that we have to keep on fighting despite. Okay, yeah, yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Fighting battles worth fighting. You can't. What I'm saying to you is that he's back in office. It's over. That fight is over. You know, it's one thing to fight and to talk about who he is and what he is and how he doesn't deserve to be the president before he got back in office. But once he's back, that's fallen on deaf ears. It's a waste of time and energy because there's nothing you could do about it. He's back in office. We in the war with Iran because of him. You understand? We assisted Israel. I mean, look at what they did in Palestine. Look at what they did in the Gaza Strip. Look at how many people were displaced. Look at. Some people were calling it genocide. You got pro Palestinian folks all over the place because of the stuff that was going on over there. He has something to do with that. That wasn't Obama. That wasn't Biden, okay? You look at the economy and inflation, you look at what's going on right now, even though the price of crude oil is where it is, and. And people think that the economy is about to boom again. But you look at some of the things that, that, you know, National Guard going into California, Chicago, Portland. That was him. National Guard, nation's capital. Even though some would say that's a huge plus. That was him. You know, he's the president. He's here. So at some point, OB you know, it's like, wait a minute. There's gotta be a different fight that you're fighting. I'm not saying don't fight, but you can't fight feudal things. You can't fight if somebody is knocked out. OB Right. Let's say, for example, somebody is dead. What you gonna be on the ground punching them for? They done.

[Caller/Guest]

Steve, can I. Can I make. Can I make it. Can I interject real quick?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

The fight has never been. Yeah, I'm sorry, and good point. The fight has never been with Trump in the first place. It's the same old fight, Steve. All right? Because the fight is that. That we are. We are in a. We're in a. We're in a battle. We've been battling for years, okay? But the centuries. Not give up. Yeah, we could not give up.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Who's giving up? Nobody's giving up. I'm not telling you to give up. I'm saying you have to fight battles that are worthy as opposed to feudal. Like, for example, OB you got Democrats talking about they can't wait to win back the House so they can impeach him. Really? Really? That's what we're doing. Hasn't that. Hasn't that. Hasn't that been done before?

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Steve, we're 29 points down at halftime. Do we give up?

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's not.

[Senator Alyssa Slotkin]

That's.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That. That's. Excuse me. That's not the same. The 29 points, the clock was still ticking, and we had time to come back, and we did it to win. The election is over. He won. So you gotta fight the fights that are worth fighting, doing the same old song and dance. What you did about him leading into the election didn't work. I'm not telling you. Don't fight the man. I'm saying it has to be different battles, different projects to attack, as opposed to the same old, same old. Gotta go. OB Appreciate the call. Oh, Mark in Kansas, talk to me. What's up?

[Caller/Guest]

Yes, I was listening to Mr. Abrams show the other night.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, sir.

[Caller/Guest]

And, you know, this falls on Democrats, Republicans. For years and years, I did not realize, you know, they're talking about the Social Security system going bust in 32.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right.

[Caller/Guest]

And I have no idea that for that, the Social Security max tax stops at $182,000. Over that, you pay the same if you're making a billion a year as you are if you're making 182,000 a year. And I don't know how to get that message out, but that's going to, you know, help the Social Security fund. A lot of people were paying equal percentages for what they make.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right. It's a good point. Good point, Mark. No refuting. We're no refuting that here. Zero. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. All right, Kerry in California, you're live straight shooting with Stephen A. What's up?

[Caller/Guest]

Even a. Thanks for taking my call. I'm a big fan of your show, particularly around the focus on trying to produce, like, actionable conversations. Right. Because you were right in saying that, like, this is the situation. He's in office, and it really feels like there's not much that we can do about it. So my question for you is if you have, like, suggestions on what a better alternative to some of these, you know, arguments that you picked apart are.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Kerry, I lost you. Kerry, are you there?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, can you hear me?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, I can hear you now. Go ahead, Kerry.

[Caller/Guest]

Oh, okay. Sorry. I was saying that I really agree with your point on trying to focus on meaningful conversations that can bring about change and not just saying the same thing over and over again. And my question for you is whether you had any better alternatives on. On, like, what we can do because he seems so untouchable. Everyone in Congress is afraid of him and cares more about their future.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me say this. I think it starts with the people. Of course, that's the same old song and dance, but I think all of our representatives in the House and the Senate have to gather spine and they have to remind the president that he doesn't work for them. They work for the people. They don't work for him. And you have people, as Senator Slotkin came out and said, you've got people that are absolutely petrified of him. That's why he flexed the way that he flexed. Whether it was with Tillis, whether it was with Mitch McConnell, whether it was with the elected officials in Indiana during the primaries, whether it was with picking Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in Texas, it doesn't matter. He's flexing to show you that if you don't fall in line with how he wants you to think, if you're not substantively loyal in his estimation, he will get rid of you. And you have to have enough of a spine and think about the best interest of America and think about doing your job instead of keeping your job. And that's really, really where it all starts. We can talk all we want to, but we're not getting anywhere. If the officials that we sent on Capitol Hill are so petrified of who's in the White House that they forget to be petrified of us, that's who they need to fear that too. They need to be cognizant about, and that's who they need to prioritize their constituents, and they're not doing that. If Trump has some cashiers influence, damn it, make sure you have just as much, if not more. Make sure that he can't come in there once a year talking smack about you and that usurps all the noise you've made on behalf of the constituents you've represented.

[Caller/Guest]

It.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Do your damn job instead of trying to keep your job. That would be my recommendation, Kerry.

[Caller/Guest]

Awesome. Thank you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I appreciate the call. Thank you so much. Pennsylvania, who's that in Pennsylvania? Line five, T love. There he is. What's up, bro? Floor is yours, go ahead.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, listen, man, we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. 250 years later, that still hasn't happened in this country. We're about to celebrate this nation's 250th birthday and that's still something that we don't live by. This whole country, man, you can't fix America until Americans learn how to fix themselves. And you can't do that because it's a way of thinking. When you think that you're better than somebody else because of where you are, who you are, what color, where you work, then you already fail. Okay, you have a guy who they've been trying to put in office for a long time, a certain amount of people in this country. This started out with David Dukes years ago. They tried to get him on the ballot. They never could because at that time things like the Constitution and people really lived up well, for the most part, they wouldn't let things like that go. Now it's a different era. You're in the social media era and now anything goes. Flash mobs, he invite, he, he incited a flash mob to go to the White House and do what they did. Yes, he is responsible, but what he Did.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Responsible. Responsible in what way? Responsible in what way, T Love? Because, yes, you could talk about he incited them, but who's the ultimate people that are responsible for their actions?

[Caller/Guest]

D Love, that's true. That's true. But over the years, and history tells us that you have had men like him that have incited other people to do horrible things. World War II is an example of that. And I won't call no names, and I'm not trying to cast any aspirations that, that, that he's like that guy. But if history has told us that these guys have been there and they will come again, if we don't recognize that and we don't shoot that down, impeachment means nothing. It means nothing anymore. The Constitution, it means less than nothing. You have a guy that has put people in office, yes, who are scared of him, but they're in office because the only way they would get that office is through him. They are incompetent.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm not. I got you, T Love. I'm not gonna let you go on any longer because I got a show to do and I got to go to commercial break. I appreciate your comments. What I'm going to say, however, is this. I get your point. I understand your passion. I don't even necessarily disagree. My issue, however, is this. I don't give a damn what Trump wants to do. If the elected officials up on Capitol Hill do their damn job that the American people sent them there to do, he can't do anything without their help. How in the hell do you spend billions of dollars of American taxpayer money and they don't have an accounting of those dollars? We had a senator on here that didn't know the number.

[Caller/Guest]

Numbers.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We have Republicans on here that don't know the numbers. How, how. When he has to go through our government, particularly our Congress, in order to have the money to spend.

[Caller/Guest]

How, how?

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's what I'm talking about. In the end, that's what it comes down to. I don't care who it is that is in power, the people that we send up on Capitol Hill, if they're doing their jobs, there's but so much he could do. So while everybody focusing on Trump, I also focus on those elected officials who are supposed to be reining him in or not allowing him to step out there the way that he has. They haven't done their job. It's that simple. Gotta go. Appreciate the call. 86696, POTUS last break, before we close out the show with more of your phone calls in a Minute. Stick around. The Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Not going anywhere. At least for the next 10, 15 minutes. Neither should.

[Caller/Guest]

I.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A few minutes left in the show. Jennifer, who's on the live from Nevada. From Nevada. D', Angelo, you're live with Straight shoot on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Good evening, sir. How are you?

[Caller/Guest]

It's a wonderful evening. I just got off work. How you doing, sir?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm all right. Thank you for calling.

[Caller/Guest]

Thank you. It's actually the first time I've listened to your show just because I'm normally never getting off work at this time. But I just had a question for you because I. I don't know how large your audience is, but obviously, like, I don't sleep under a rock. I know who you are. You're, you know, a pretty big name in the world. So when you say that there's no point in fighting the fight because you made the comment that, like, people are waiting for the Dems to win back the House in the Senate and impeach him and you, I believe your exact words were, yeah, that's already been done. Essentially. To say there's no point.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I did not say matters. I did not say there's no point in fighting the fight. I said there's no point in fighting that fight. You see how one word you left out or twisted changes everything. That fight, like, oh, we're going to impeach him. You already tried that. That's what I was saying.

[Caller/Guest]

That one worked because the Senate. Correct. And I'm, I'm agreeing with you there, but I'm saying it didn't work because the Senate did not complete the House's job. The House voted to impeach, the Senate, did not. If the Dems win the House and the Senate, then that little bit matters because then that fight is all of a sudden.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, let me respond, let me retort with this. Didn't Clinton get impeached? Clinton lost his law license for eight years. He got impeached. Or what have you, still didn't stop him from serving his presidency. I'm simply saying, I'm saying to you that you're stuck with the man as the president until 2028, unless he passes away. That's what I'm saying. That's all.

[Caller/Guest]

Gotcha.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So that's all I'm saying.

[Caller/Guest]

We'll. We'll leave that one where. We'll leave that one where it is. I do also have a question for you in terms of when you say that you blame the people, don't blame him, because you were talking about the January 6th insurrection.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I'm saying that I'm holding adults accountable. I'm holding adults accountable for their actions. Of course he incited them. Of course he could have shut his mouth. And of course he should have never said what he said. What I'm saying is they're the ones that storm the Capitol and they're the ones that's going to be held accountable. Your ass is going to jail if you commit a crime, not the person who told you to do it. That's what I'm saying.

[Caller/Guest]

Yes, but you know that, that law that you can't go into a movie theater and shout fire because. Yeah, obviously.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm fully aware. I'm fully aware.

[Caller/Guest]

It's right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, d', Angelo.

[Caller/Guest]

D', Angelo.

[Stephen A. Smith]

D'. Angelo. Who's the President of the United States? Who's the President of the United States? Who is the President of the United States?

[Caller/Guest]

That would be Trump.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Didn't, didn't this happen in 2021?

[Caller/Guest]

What's your point?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Exactly, exactly. Exactly.

[Caller/Guest]

Yes, he. But that's. He didn't win. Stephen, with all due respect.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Oh, my God.

[Caller/Guest]

There's a big difference. Oh, my God.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I said the same. I said the same thing. I said the same thing. Hold on, hold on. Dalton. Or listen, pick one. It's my show. I said the same exact thing. I said Biden didn't win. He lost. 11.8 million more people voted for Biden and voted for Obama. They didn't vote for Biden. They voted to get Trump's ass out of office. Same difference. Doesn't matter. Biden was still a president. Trump is still a president. You calling up about semantics? Stop that nonsense. Do a better job calling next week. I'll be here, d', Angelo, and I'll invite you back on. Take it easy. Let's go to Brian in Texas, July with Stephen A. Gotta get on out of here in a couple of minutes. Go ahead, Brian. Brian, you're live on the air. Go ahead, Brian. Edward in California, you're live with Stephen A. What's up, Edward?

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Stephen A. Thank you very much for taking my call. And I just want to say this. My comment has kind of changed after listening to the last couple callers. And what I would say is this, is that, you know, I have more of my significant others or my friends, significant friends and my significant other that have, that are second language people that have come here from other countries. And these people are successful. And, you know, I want to say, I don't, you know, all I'M going to say is, you know, to my brothers out there, right? My brothers from another mother, right? I'm going to say this, you know, quoting Malcolm X. Don't be a chump. Do not be a political chump. You know, and if you're going to just buy into everything that's told you about you can't be successful and, oh, they're keeping you down or whatever that's in your head, man, I, you know, I started off live digging ditches, and when I would say about Trump.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Hold on, Edward, I totally agree with you. Can't whistle into the wind all the time, but whining about stuff you can't change. But that doesn't mean that you ignore history and a laundry list of things that were put into place to subjugate a society, a community in this country. Racism, prejudice, Jim Crow laws, Southern strategy, slavery. There's a whole bunch of things that have existed in this country, and it's been practiced and practiced and practiced in different ways, different shapes, different forms. The jail system has been fed. Laws have been changed to make it easier to incarcerate people from impoverished neighborhoods in this country. There's a whole bunch of things to complain about. Now, again, you can point it out and do something about it. So you're right to sit up there and say, don't live on it, and use it as an excuse to lean on and justify your stagnancy and ineptitude. But let's not act like there's not a legitimate beef and a legitimate complaint to have had throughout American history. Let's be better than that. Now, let's not forget that we ain't gonna do that on, on this show. You're Straight Shooter for a reason. I'm gonna call it like I see it, and I' ma call it like I think it is. And more often than not, damn it, I'm gonna be right. That's it for this edition of Straight Shooter with yours truly. I'll see y' all next week sometime. Until then, peace and love, everybody. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Signing off.

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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