Podcast Summary: The Stephen A. Smith Show

Episode: Minneapolis I.C.E. Killings; Dr. Mehmet Oz; Mayor Jacob Frey

Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Stephen A. Smith

Overview

This episode marks a quintessential example of Stephen A. Smith’s new direction: going “beyond the world of sports” to tackle urgent national issues. The show dives deep into the federal enforcement crisis in Minneapolis—particularly two high-profile deaths of American citizens at the hands of ICE agents. Stephen A. analyzes the political chaos in the wake of these killings, interrogates Trump administration officials’ responses, and brings in two key guests: Dr. Mehmet Oz (now head of CMS) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The episode also features robust caller participation, centered on the intersection of federal power, public safety, healthcare, and civil rights.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Federal Enforcement and Minneapolis Controversy

• Stephen A.’s Opening Take on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

  • Smith is explicit in his call for Noem’s resignation due to her “irresponsible” rhetoric and immediate defense of ICE officers before investigations concluded.

  • Smith notes a shift in the MAGA base, saying, “MAGA ain’t standing behind Trump and everything he does the way they were...they're questioning a lot of things” (02:05).

  • Cites the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Preddy by ICE agents—both American citizens, both not “illegal immigrants.” Questions the force used and criticizes the administration’s rhetoric.

  • Plays a clip of Kristi Noem justifying the shootings by labeling the victims as violent, not peaceful protesters (05:03).

    “I don't know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign. This is a violent riot.”
    — Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary (05:03)

• Stephen A.’s Critique of Trump Administration & GOP’s Crisis

  • Attributes Republican struggles to “chaos in the streets,” drawing parallels to Trump’s first loss and current polling (06:40).
  • Identifies a “paramilitary style” of federal enforcement and criticizes the administration for infringing on First and Second Amendment rights (08:03).

• Political Fallout and Minnesota’s Sanctuary Status

  • Discusses how both Trump and Mayor Frey are staking out hard positions—Trump threatens financial recourse against sanctuary policies (09:13), while Frey refuses to have Minneapolis enforce federal immigration law and calls for an end to “Operation Metro Surge.”
  • Expresses the importance of not exploiting chaos, urging Democrats to capitalize on the moment, “If they blow this, they ain't going to recover in time for 2028” (10:35).

2. Interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator)

Segment Starts: 17:27

Key Topics:

• Healthcare Reform and the ‘Take Back Your Health’ Campaign

  • Dr. Oz touts a “real foods, whole foods” emphasis and de-emphasizes carbohydrates in favor of a balanced diet, reintroducing healthy fats.
  • Praises inclusion of weight loss drugs in coverage, promising cost savings:

    “Within two years...we're going to have the average American taxpayer pay less...because we're going to save so much.” (20:19)

• Differences from Past Administrations

  • Oz claims the focus is on holistic health, not just “throwing more money at insurance companies...that’s not the long-term solution” (22:17).
  • Redirects Medicaid spending toward rural primary care, moving funds from specialists (24:00).

• Stephen A. Smith’s Health Journey

  • Shares his near-diabetes experience post-COVID and lifestyle transformation:

    “I was just an absolute mess. So when I got Covid, it almost killed me, almost took me out of here. So...I eradicated my sugar intake by about 80-85%. Plus I'm in the gym five to six days a week.” (24:18)

• Exercise, AI in Healthcare, & Preventive Medicine

  • Oz argues for 20 minutes of physical activity a day to save $100 billion in healthcare costs (25:44).
  • Discusses leveraging artificial intelligence to expand access to healthcare and coaching (26:00).

• ACA Subsidies and Cost Containment

  • Oz says extra COVID-era ACA subsidies didn’t change enrollment rates; focus should be on driving down the fundamental cost of care (28:23).
  • “President Trump was forced in the issue. All of the drug companies pretty much have come on board now...that’s how you drop the premiums.” (31:17)

• US Health vs. The World

  • Dr. Oz spotlights obesity rates: 43% obesity in the US (twice Europe, 10x Japan), and connects this to ballooning healthcare costs (31:28).

• California & Fraud: Conflict with Governor Newsom

  • Blames California’s explosion in hospice/home care fraud, with 9% of US home health spending in LA alone (33:18).
  • Warns of redirection of taxpayer dollars and failure to protect “the most vulnerable citizens.”

• Vaccination Policy and Parental Autonomy

  • Supports paying for all vaccines but highlights reduced mandatory shot schedules, referencing European models (36:30).
  • Reaffirms the critical importance of measles and other core child vaccines but urges parental autonomy (38:50).

• Medicaid Data Sharing with ICE

  • Defends controversial sharing of Medicaid enrollee data with ICE, citing statutory requirements and cost to taxpayers (41:06, 41:17).

    “You have a crisis, you go to the E, you will get care. We have laws called Impala that protect you again, no matter what your status is. But by law, I have to share information from our data sets with appropriately requesting agencies.” (41:17)

3. Politics, Cancel Culture, and Listener Calls

Segment Highlight: 45:07 – 49:01

• Cancel Culture on the Right and Left

  • Caller “Cameron” challenges the notion that cancel culture is only a left-wing phenomenon, citing Trump’s attempted cancellations (e.g., Jimmy Kimmel).

  • Stephen A. draws distinctions: on the left, “collective effort” at canceling; on the right, Trump’s actions are “retribution” and “a payback tour” (46:19).

    “When we saw...Democrats...it was a collective effort when it came to woke and cancel culture...I think in the case of Trump...he’s on a payback tour.” (46:42)

4. Interview with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey

Segment Starts: 50:28

• State of Emergency in Minneapolis

  • Frey calls the situation “chaotic”—3,000+ federal agents have descended, not to promote safety but to build a political narrative (51:45).

    “It hasn't even been about immigration. It's about creating what seems to be a political narrative about who Minneapolis residents are and what we're about.” (51:45)

  • Cites community resilience and widespread peaceful protest.

  • Notes the federal focus on Minneapolis’s immigrant communities is misplaced—most Somalis are legal residents/citizens (58:21).

• Separation Ordinance and Local Autonomy

  • Emphasizes that Minneapolis police enforce safety, not federal immigration laws, referencing a “separation ordinance.”

  • Rationale: encourage all residents to report crimes without fear of deportation.

    “Our police officers are not asking whether you're documented or not...It’s critically important. Otherwise, we're creating people that’ll just be fugitives for their whole life...” (56:41)

• Response to Trump and Threats to Funding

  • Asserts city's policies are lawful and have historic precedent, not a “radical” or “wild” policy (55:07).
  • Acknowledges concern for financial stability but challenges constitutionality of coercing sanctuary cities via federal funding threats (62:27).
  • Details the unique dangers of this surge: indiscriminate targeting and deaths, including bystanders, and the negative impact on city businesses and the economy.

• Refuses to Pre-judge Federal Killings

  • Stops short of calling the deaths “murder,” citing ongoing investigations. Says, “If...that group of people that killed him weren't wearing uniforms...what would you call that?” (64:32)
  • Calls for justice, transparency, and accountability, but not premature condemnation.

• Meetings with Federal “Border Czar” Tom Holman

  • Confirms he’s met with Holman to express intent to work on violent crime, but not on federal immigration enforcement (66:12).
  • “We have a job to do...we're not going to do other people's jobs for them.” (67:34)

• Plan for Protest and De-escalation

  • Minneapolis has developed a “massive plan” for protecting First Amendment rights and avoiding escalation—advises “Don’t take the bait” (69:06).

• Outlook for the Future

  • “I'm hopeful, I'm always hopeful that we can make a change here. And I'll believe it when I see it.” (70:50)

5. More Listener Engagement: Law, Government, and Healthcare

• Federalism & Law

  • Callers and Smith discuss the tension between federal and local authority—Smith, referencing civil rights history, values federal intervention when locally unpopular but needed.

    “As a black man growing up in the United States...federal laws being forced helped us desegregate schools, helped us acquire civil rights...” (77:50)

• Healthcare Access for Undocumented Immigrants

  • Multiple callers challenge Dr. Oz’s assertion about California’s alleged generosity to undocumented immigrants.
    • “I see patients that come across the border...want treatment, and we can't give it to them because they cannot get insurance.” — Trina (83:14)
  • Smith responds: “They’re not getting some kind of fancy insurance, but they definitely have something...these are real issues.” (85:02)

6. Closing—and Breaking News

Timestamps: 72:18/90:50

• Developing Events:

  • The White House announces a press conference by Tom Holman in Minneapolis the following morning—a sign that the administration is scrambling in response to political fallout.
  • Reports of video evidence showing Alex Preddy’s earlier antagonism toward ICE vehicles surface, complicating the narrative but not justifying the shooting, notes Stephen A. (88:30).
  • Two ICE officers placed on administrative leave; indicative of mounting political pressure.

• Final Reflections

  • Stephen A. reiterates his call for fairness, accountability, and consistency—regardless of who is in the White House.

    “Regardless of how much people disdain fairness, fairness is always the order of the day.” (88:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen A. Smith on Kristi Noem:

  “She has to go because you don't need leadership like that at a time like this where you're being so flagrantly irresponsible...” (01:44)

• On Federal Killings:

  “Two individuals have been gunned down by ICE. Two American citizens killed on the streets...And what we heard from administrators in Trump's cabinet was not the kind of things we want to hear.” (02:13)

• Dr. Oz on Healthcare Costs:

  “If I can get the average American [to do] 20 minutes a day...it'll probably save us $100 billion in health expenses.” (25:44)

• Mayor Jacob Frey:

  "To ICE: get the fuck out of Minneapolis." (50:28, soundbite from protest)

• Caller Daniel from Minnesota:

  “[My] daughter...got trapped at work the other night for six hours because they blocked off the entire road and tear gas was coming in the hospital. It was really pretty tragic.” (75:20)

• On Consistency in Politics and Enforcement:

  “Obama...deported over 3.1 million people. And...networks [did] features on ICE like they were the best thing going. But now, all of a sudden, they’re pariahs.” (81:36)

Timeline of Major Segments

• 00:28–16:15: Host introduction and monologue on Minneapolis killings, DHS response, political crisis
• 17:27–43:50: Dr. Mehmet Oz interview (healthcare reform, preventive medicine, vaccines, immigrant health policy)
• 45:07–50:28: Callers discuss cancel culture, party politics, Minneapolis events
• 50:28–71:22: Interview with Mayor Jacob Frey (federal encroachment, city policy, sanctuary status, future outlook)
• 72:08–98:34: News of Holman’s pending press conference; more calls and debate on law, ICE, health access, and media responsibility

Episode Takeaways

• The show is a microcosm of national turbulence: public anger at abusive enforcement, deepening federal-local divides, and political volatility as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
• Stephen A. Smith’s new focus on political and civic issues brings in high-profile insiders and strong community voices, seeking the truth over easy narratives.
• Both the Dr. Oz and Mayor Frey interviews expose the cascading impacts of Washington’s policies—from the exam table to the city streets.
• The episode closes without tidy answers, but with Smith’s trademark insistence on real talk and a challenge to all sides for greater accountability and fairness.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary delves into the full range of debate, policy, and public feeling dominating the Minneapolis I.C.E. controversy and its national aftershocks—capturing both the heated rhetoric and the moments of clarity.