Stephen A's Take: Donald Trump is criticized for labeling protesters as “insurrectionists” while pardoning actual January 6th rioters.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Stephen A. Smith Show

Episode: Stephen A's Take: Donald Trump is criticized for labeling protesters as “insurrectionists” while pardoning actual January 6th rioters
Release Date: June 15, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Produced by: Stephen A. Smith and iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves into the contentious issue surrounding former President Donald Trump's recent remarks about protesters, juxtaposed with his past pardoning of January 6th rioters. The discussion navigates through themes of political strategy, law enforcement, and the polarization within American politics. Featuring an insightful dialogue with Senator Alex Padilla, the episode offers a robust analysis of the current political landscape and its implications for societal unity.

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ICE Raids and Nationwide Protests [01:13 – 02:09]

The episode opens with Alex Padilla addressing the latest developments in federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and the ensuing protests across major U.S. cities. He highlights the incidents in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Chicago, Austin, Las Vegas, and Washington D.C., emphasizing the widespread public response to troop deployments aimed at immigration enforcement.

Stephen A. Smith adds context by discussing the concentration of protests in downtown LA as the overnight curfew was lifted, signaling heightened tensions and community resistance to federal actions.

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Confrontation Between Senator Padilla and Homeland Security Secretary [02:09 – 06:28]

A pivotal moment in the episode occurs when Senator Alex Padilla recounts being forcibly removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Padilla details how he was shushed, shoved, and handcuffed while attempting to question Noem about the raids and protests.

Notable Quote:

• “The senator was shoved out of the room...” [02:38]
• “To reporters and attempted to shout questions at the secretary.” [02:31]

Stephen A. Smith criticizes Padilla’s actions initially, suggesting that as a senator, Padilla should have maintained composure. However, he quickly pivots to address broader political tactics, accusing Democrats of using such incidents to divide the populace and bolster Trump's narrative on illegal immigration.

Notable Quote:

• “...that's why they've been talking about Stephen A. Smith being a candidate for president of the United States.” [02:38]
• “...the president of the United States focusing our attention on illegal immigration...” [03:01]

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Political Strategy and Divisiveness [06:28 – 15:03]

The conversation intensifies as Smith critiques the Democratic Party’s approach, arguing they are facilitating Trump's rise by creating divisive issues. He touches upon various fronts Trump cannot capitalize on, such as the economy and international conflicts, thus focusing on immigration as a "winning hand."

Notable Quote:

• “...all of this is used as a tool to divide us.” [03:01]

Alex Padilla counters by highlighting the inconsistent treatment of rioters, pointing out that while Trump labels current protesters as "insurrectionists," he previously pardoned those involved in the January 6th Capitol riot.

Notable Quote:

• “January 6th, defendants pardoned by Trump.” [13:29]

Stephen A. Smith expands on this hypocrisy, contrasting the harsh labeling of recent protests with the leniency shown to actual insurrectionists, thereby questioning the integrity of Trump's stance.

Notable Quote:

• “...over 1,500 of them were pardoned by Trump...” [13:29]
• “You can't point to the terrorists right now... So what's a winning hand to play? It's this. It's immigration...” [03:01]

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Trump's Labeling of Protesters vs. Pardoning Rioters [10:39 – 14:05]

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Trump's inconsistent stance towards protesters and rioters. Smith scrutinizes Trump's characterization of current demonstrators as "insurrectionists," contrasting it with his decision to pardon those who actively participated in the January 6th events.

Notable Quote:

• “You call these folks insurrectionists. But those folks that stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021... they weren't insurrectionists.” [13:25]

Alex Padilla reinforces this point by highlighting the severity of the January 6th actions versus the current protests, suggesting that the label "insurrectionist" is being misapplied to ordinary protestors.

Notable Quote:

• “And you call these folks in Los Angeles insurrectionists.” [13:25]

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Call for Political Reform and Unity [15:03 – 16:51]

As the discussion progresses, Alex Padilla expresses support for seasoned politicians who advocate for national security and legislative integrity, such as Marco Rubio, John Kasich, and Nikki Haley. He emphasizes the need for leaders committed to unity and effective governance rather than perpetuating chaos.

Notable Quote:

• “What we're down for... Guys like John Kasich, former governor of Ohio, Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey...” [15:27]

Stephen A. Smith echoes the sentiment, highlighting his support for governors like Westmore of Maryland and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania as alternatives to divisive political figures.

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Conclusion: The Impact of Divisive Politics [16:51 – End]

In wrapping up the episode, Smith underscores the detrimental effects of political divisiveness, arguing that it fosters chaos and hinders national cohesion. He calls for a reevaluation of political strategies to prioritize unity and effective leadership over partisan conflict.

Notable Quote:

• “This is about bringing people together and working on compromise.” [16:51]

Alex Padilla concurs, advocating for candidates who can galvanize rather than polarize the American populace, emphasizing the urgent need for constructive political discourse to navigate turbulent times.

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Key Takeaways

• Immigration Enforcement and Protests: Federal ICE raids have sparked widespread protests across major U.S. cities, highlighting deep-seated tensions over immigration policies.
• Political Hypocrisy: Donald Trump’s labeling of current protesters as "insurrectionists" is juxtaposed with his past pardoning of January 6th rioters, revealing inconsistencies in his stance on law enforcement and civil unrest.
• Divisive Tactics: Stephen A. Smith critiques the Democratic Party for creating divisive issues that inadvertently bolster Trump's political standing, emphasizing the need for more unifying strategies.
• Call for New Leadership: Both Smith and Padilla advocate for seasoned, bipartisan politicians committed to national security, legislative integrity, and societal unity as alternatives to current divisive figures.
• Urgent Need for Unity: The episode underscores the importance of moving beyond partisan conflicts to address national challenges effectively and foster a more cohesive society.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “That's why you've been talking about Stephen A. Smith being a candidate for president of the United States.” — Stephen A. Smith [02:38]
• “January 6th, defendants pardoned by Trump.” — Alex Padilla [13:29]
• “You call these folks insurrectionists. But those folks that stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021... they weren't insurrectionists.” — Stephen A. Smith [13:25]
• “This is about bringing people together and working on compromise.” — Alex Padilla [16:51]

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This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show offers a profound analysis of the current political dynamics surrounding immigration enforcement, protest movements, and the strategic maneuvers of major political figures. By dissecting the rhetoric and actions of key players, Smith provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the underlying forces shaping American society today.

Transcript

[Stephen A. Smith]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Tom Brokaw]

NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm Tom Brokaw. We hope to see you back here.

[Lester Holt]

I'm Lester Holt.

[Tom Brokaw]

It's carried forward.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Tom Yamas is there for us.

[Tom Brokaw]

Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures. We are coming on the air with breaking news right now. We look for a constant and from one era to the next, trust is the anchor for NBC Nightly News. A new chapter begins NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas evenings on NBC.

[Alex Padilla]

Let's talk about the latest on the federal ICE raids and the subsequent protests happening around the country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The flashpoint happened in Los Angeles, California.

[Alex Padilla]

When overnight curfew was lifted at 9am Eastern.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The curfew covered about 1 square mile.

[Alex Padilla]

In downtown LA with a protest against ICE raids and troop deployments in the city had been concentrated. Similar protests took place in other cities including in New York, Seattle, Chicago, Austin, Texas, Las Vegas, and of course, the Nation's capital, Washington, D.C. meanwhile, three Democratic governors defended their state's immigration enforcement policies before the House Oversight and Government Reform committee today. Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker, Minnesota Governor and former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul testified at what the committee describes as, quote, a hearing with sanctuary state governors, end quote.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And check this out.

[Alex Padilla]

This was the scene in Los Angeles just this afternoon as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was speaking about the raids and protests.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California who was confronted by security and forcibly removed the from that press conference. Padilla spoke out during Noem's initial remarks.

[Alex Padilla]

To reporters and attempted to shout questions at the secretary.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The senator was shoved out of the.

[Alex Padilla]

Room, taken to the ground and handcuffed, end quote. You see, ladies and gentlemen, you see that right there? That's why they've been talking about Stephen A. Smith being a candidate for president of the United States. That's why you should be looking at Governor Westmore of Maryland. You should be looking at Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know, the People that don't engage in this kind of nonsense. You talking about propping yourself up. It's all nonsense. It's all used as a tool to divide us. On one hand, we have the President of the United States focusing our attention on illegal immigration and really highlighting it to the umph degree to make himself look good. Because you can't point to the terrorists right now. You can't necessarily point to the economy right now. You said you can't. You can't look at the war in Ukraine with Russia. You can't point to that right now. You can't point to Doge and what they're doing because Elon Musk and you have had your little tiff over the last week, week and a half. So you can't point to that right now. So what's a winning hand to play? It's this. It's immigration, it's migrants, it's those who are undocumented or here illegally. That's a winning hand, and that's what he's doing. So you got that side, and on another side here you have this. Senator Alex Padilla.

[Alex Padilla]

Can Kristi Noem speak?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Could you have waited till she finished to ask your questions, to shout your questions? You are a senator, right? You couldn't wait? So that was just you, out of control because you were just losing, huh? You, a United States senator, couldn't compose yourself and let the head of Homeland Security finish her thoughts before you asked the question? Couldn't do that, huh? Couldn't do it, huh? I know you got an explanation for it. I know you got an explanation for it. And in fairness to you, because that's what we do here on the Stephen A. Smith Show, I'm gonna be fair to you by making sure the people hear what you have to say. Go ahead. Senator Alex Padilla. Go ahead. Let's hear you.

[Kristi Noem]

If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country, we will hold this administration accountable.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really?

[Alex Padilla]

How are you gonna do that unless you win at the polls? How are you gonna do that?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm all ears. Take your time.

[Alex Padilla]

I'll wait. How are you gonna do that? Cause I don't see how it's gonna happen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Senator Alex Bedea, did you recognize that you sound a bit similar to a couple of other people? Let's take into consideration. California Governor Gavin Newsom, according to the Wall Street Journal, reading from an article right here, hitting all of the greatest resistance hits, Democracy is under assault before our eyes. Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who, who are at least able to defend themselves. Who are at least able to defend themselves. He's assaulting the First Amendment. He's taking a wrecking ball to our founding fathers historic project. This is what Gavin Newsom was saying about the Trump administration. Doesn't that sound similar to you? Sounds similar to me. I'm just looking at certain things like this and I'm saying to myself, where's.

[Alex Padilla]

That going to get you?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Because at the end of the day, when you bring up the fact that you don't like what Trump is doing and you're coming to the defense of migrants, of immigrants, while it's admirable from a humanitarian perspective, all of us as human beings, as God fearing individuals, we don't want to see anybody suffering the way some of these migrants have been suffering.

[Alex Padilla]

Make no mistake about that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

This is not what that's about. This is about playing a winning hand or creating a winning hand or incorporating a winning formula. Or are you doing that, Senator Padilla? Are you doing that, Governor Newsom? Because this ain't a winning argument. The poll showed that. I don't want to hear anything about how there's no mandate with Trump. He didn't win 50% of the vote. You didn't either. He won a popular vote. He won an Electoral College vote. He won every swing state. He increased his votes with young voters, black voters, Hispanic voters, fat. It was an indictment against you as a party. And what has happened since that time. Now he's gotten into office and you're raising holy hell because he's engaging in a level of extremism. To my degree, I feel this way. I don't like what I see Trump doing in Los Angeles at all. You heard Kevin Frazier come on the show just the other day and point out how overblown some things are right now, how this conspicuous presence that's been placed on the city of Los Angeles, where you got four members of the National Guard, 4,000 members of the National Guard, and at least 700 members of the United States Marines protecting federal property, et cetera, is all of that necessary? It does seem a bit extreme. But if you're a politician and you're trying to play a winning hand, if there's nobody in the streets throwing stuff at you, if there's nobody in the street spewing hatred at you and being A bit belligerent. What would they have to show for the cameras? What would they have to show? And you, as a Democratic Party, you have to remember what the backdrop of all of this is. Law and order from Trump. Because there didn't appear to be law and order when Biden was in office. Open borders, you said nothing. Migrants coming through the streets of America, you said nothing. We got medical in Los Angeles paying over a billion dollars for migrants, but don't have some, don't have enough for Los Angeles who are born right here in the United States of America. What argument do you think is going to win? No one with sense believes that President Trump is totally right. This is not about right and wrong with him. This is about him knowing he has the benefit of the doubt on his side because of what you did over four. Over four years when he was out of office. If you were Gavin Newsom, as the.

[Alex Padilla]

Wall Street Journal alluded to, you know what you could have done to alleviate this?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Since you want to take the Trump.

[Alex Padilla]

Administration to court and say that he.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Had no business federalizing the National Guard.

[Alex Padilla]

You could have called the National Guard. You could have made sure that law enforcement throughout the city of Los Angeles had a very strong, vibrant, conspicuous presence where it might have alleviated the possibility of him calling in, meaning Trump calling in the National Guards and the Marines. You could have done that, but you didn't. And because you didn't, you gave him the opening to do it because it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Makes you look like you're weak on. On. On crime, you're weak on lawlessness, you're weak on borders. All the things that got him elected, you're playing into his hand. And not only did you do it, Governor Newsom, now Senator Padilla did it.

[Alex Padilla]

Because we all know you could have waited for her to finish speaking. Now, I will say this. They had no business putting cuffs on Senator Padilla. Escorting him out of the room, even forcibly, was within bounds. The secretary for Homeland Security was speaking. You let her finish. You don't want to let her finish, then hey, they definitely should have removed you from the room.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is it. They didn't need to put you on the ground. They didn't need to handcuff you. All they needed to do was keep you out of the room. You are a United States senator. Very disrespectful. Comes across as authoritarian. President Trump crossing the line without question. Without question.

[Alex Padilla]

But they didn't arrest him. They did let him go. And within minutes, he was outside holding his own press conference. That is Senator Badea So let's take that into consideration now that I've said what I have to say about the Democrats, who I think are playing right into Trump's hands and looking like absolute fools doing so. That doesn't absolve the Republicans, especially the number one member of the GOP these days, that is the 47th president of the United States. I want to brace everybody out there listening. I almost caught a heart attack when I heard President Trump say what I'm about to show you. He said, play that tape, please.

[Donald Trump]

We have a great country and we're going to keep it that way. And when it comes to Los Angeles or other cities, if we see other cities are gearing up and these people are agitators, they're paid, they're professionals, they're insurrectionists, they're troublemakers, they're all of those things. But I believe they're paid. And we're going to find out through Pam Bondi and her great staff are great people. Justice, who they are.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Oh, no, you didn't.

[Stephen A. Smith]

No, you didn't. Is that President Trump that just called somebody insurrectionist? People who are protested in the streets, dare I say looters, people that are defacing property with graffiti and stuff like that, you called them insurrectionists. But those folks that stormed the U.S. capitol in 2021, bulldozing through barricades and capital security, they weren't shrectionists. But you calling these folks directionists. Really? Really.

[Alex Padilla]

January 6th, defendants pardoned by Trump.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Over 1,500 of them were pardoned by Trump, where video is everywhere of them storming the United States Capitol, going into chambers, sitting behind the desk of Nancy Pelosi, chanting, kill former Vice President Mike Pence. One woman was shot by Secret Service. There were a couple of people who died.

[Alex Padilla]

And you call these folks in Los Angeles insurrectionists. See, ladies and gentlemen, this is what I meant by when I said this is what the politicians have done to us. Not all of them. There is good on both sides, there's bad on both sides. But this is what the nation's capital, the elected officials legislating and holding purview over our country, has done to us. They serve to divide us. They're not about bringing us together.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're about keeping us divided so we can butt heads with one another, create and then live in the chaos we.

[Alex Padilla]

Do create while they chill up on Capitol Hill having dominion over our lives. This is why these parties need to be purged. This is why there needs to be a cleansing in the nation's capital.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I myself, I'M a fan of governor of Westmore, Maryland. I'm a fan of Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.

[Alex Padilla]

I'm a fan of Marco Rubio, as crazy as that may sound to some of you, because of what you see him doing as Secretary of State and heading our national security intelligence as well. National security rather.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I get it.

[Alex Padilla]

But seasoned politicians that know how to articulate themselves and are about legislation are about policies and about laws in our land as opposed to creating chaos is what I'm down for. Guys like John Kasich, former governor of Ohio, Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey, not popular with a lot of people.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Popular with me.

[Alex Padilla]

Nikki Haley, I would have voted for her. You don't need this chaos. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Exactly what I was afraid of. Gavin Newsom clearly believes his strategy is to be antithetical to anything that is Trump. By showing his behavior can remin. Can emulate Trump's, and other Democrats are gonna follow suit. Maxine Waters, God bless her, in her 80s, she goes to some event, daring federal officials to shoot her.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really?

[Alex Padilla]

Really. That's how we're gonna behave. Like I said when I started, no wonder folks have me as a candidate for the presidency of the United States of America. Now, to be clear, I might cut some people out from time to time.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Ain't no doubt about that.

[Alex Padilla]

But I would be about bringing people together and working on compromise. That's the kind of candidate we need. Not me, but somebody committed to galvanizing instead of polarizing. The way this is going right now, times are only going to get uglier before they get better. Because who's really sincere when they're talking about how we need to get better? I don't see any evidence of it. I just don't.

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Alex Padilla]

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[Alex Padilla]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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