The Stephen A. Smith Show (SiriusXM)
Episode: "The State of the Union Address; Robert Costa; Wesley Hunt"
Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Guests: Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX), Robert Costa (CBS News)
EPISODE OVERVIEW
Stephen A. Smith delivers a wide-ranging, high-energy post-mortem on President Trump's latest State of the Union address. With a mix of sharp critique, humor, and “real talk,” Stephen A. moves beyond sports to dissect U.S. politics and the deep polarization exemplified by the events on Capitol Hill. Joined by Texas Congressman and Senate candidate Wesley Hunt and CBS analyst Robert Costa, Stephen A. scrutinizes the speech, the reactions from both parties, and the prospects for American politics. The episode features listener calls, candid exchanges, and memorable moments, foregrounding the challenges and dysfunction that currently define U.S. governance.
MAIN THEMES
- The chaotic spectacle and polarized optics of Trump’s State of the Union 2026
- Democrats’ and Republicans’ tactical responses and missteps
- The persistent breakdown in civility and decorum on Capitol Hill
- Guest insights: Rep. Wesley Hunt on immigration, race, and the Senate race; Robert Costa on the evolution of the State of the Union and media challenges
- The gulf between politics as theater and the real economic/social concerns of American citizens
- Listener perspectives on political division, leadership voids, and media narratives
DETAILED SUMMARY & KEY SEGMENTS
1. Stephen A.’s Opening Monologue: The State of the Union "Sh*t Show"
Timestamp: 00:30 – 15:46
Key Points:
- Opens by asking, “How do you feel about being an American today? How do you feel about our politics today?”
- Reaction to Trump’s speech: "Let me tell you what my description of last night was. It was a sh*t show." (02:36)
- Frustration at the increasing sense of hopelessness, confusion, and disgust prompted by U.S. politics
- Criticism of both parties for extreme polarization and lack of decorum
- Highlights Trump’s “we’re winning big” rhetoric as tone-deaf to economic realities
Notable Quotes:
- Stephen A.: "It's a bad, bad place for our country to be...there’s simply no way to slice it." (02:56)
- On Capitol Hill: "I cannot tell you it was embarrassing to see us as a nation with our politicians on Capitol Hill looking the way they looked, sounding the way they sounded..." (03:54)
2. Dissecting Trump’s Rhetoric and Political Tactics
Timestamp: 04:53 – 15:46
Key Points:
- Plays clips of Trump: “People are asking me, please, please, please, Mr. President, we're winning too much. We can't take it anymore.” (04:53)
- Skepticism toward Trump’s economic boasts and claims about tariffs
- Examines Trump’s State of the Union as a set-up: baits Democrats into unfavorable optics
Notable Moments:
- On Democrats’ Response: “None of the Democrats stood up. Zero. No one. The cameras are rolling knowing that the optics be what they are.” (08:56)
- Stephen A.: "That is a reminder of what lost them the election in 2024." (09:10)
Polls Highlighted:
- 52% Trump disapproval among independents
- 64% view Trump as out of touch
3. The Bait and the Fallout: Democrats and Optics
Timestamp: 08:19 – 15:46
Key Points:
- Trump uses performative questions ("The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.") to set traps for Democrats
- Democrats’ refusal to engage gives GOP ammunition for campaign ads
- Stephen A. berates Democrats: "Stop falling for the bait. You’re playing right into his hands..." (13:36)
4. Riff: James Carville Goes Off – and Stephen A.’s Response
Timestamp: 15:46 – 21:32
Key Points:
- Plays Carville’s vulgar rant against Trump (“People hate you...you fat sorry sack of sh*t…”)
- Smith’s perspective: It doesn’t matter if Trump is liked or not; 77 million still voted for him despite a criminal record
- Emphasizes: “[Voters] care about...their own homes, their own mortgages, their own bills, their own gas prices, their own job security, their own retirement, their own health care. That's what they care about.” (20:18)
5. FEATURE INTERVIEW: Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX)
Timestamp: 25:00 – 48:33
Background:
Wesley Hunt—West Point grad, Army veteran, Black Republican—running for U.S. Senate in TX.
Highlights & Key Insights:
On Valor and Patriotism:
- Praises Medal of Honor recipients recognized at SOTU, connects personally as a military vet.
On Trump’s Tactics and Capitol Culture:
- Admits Trump “baited a lot of the Democrats into very basic questions” (25:24)
- Says refusal to stand up for “America first” signals “you hate him more than you love this country.” (27:21)
- Asserts: “It’s not as vitriolic [behind closed doors] as you might think,” but social media has made politics “the attitude era.” (28:07)
On Race & the GOP:
- Slams Gavin Newsom’s 960 SAT remarks: “Soft bigotry of low expectations.”
- "I earned three master’s degrees in four years from Cornell... We are not the same. And you have to understand why that's insulting to people like me." (32:44)
On Voter ID and Republican outreach:
- "The most racist thing that I've...seen...is the insinuation that black people are too stupid to get an ID to vote. ...That has nothing to do with race. ...It's about, are you an American and do you bleed red or not?" (34:41)
On Senate run and Party Politics:
- Refers to the Senate as “not a retirement community.” Critiques John Cornyn as outdated, says Texas GOP establishment is fighting him harder than Democrats (36:55)
- Dismisses attacks about missing House votes; frames it as a reality of campaigning.
On Trump’s Controversial Social Media (Apes/Obamas Video):
- Defends Trump: "President Trump is not a racist. ...I take him for his word. He said it was a mistake by a staffer. I moved on." (41:06)
- Stephen A. pushes back, asks about accountability for staff.
On Election Integrity:
- Hunt supports Trump’s fraud narrative: "When you have to ask these people rather or not they stand for the safety of this country or not...it's actually a relatively fair assessment." (43:08)
- But expresses hope for future civility: "I do want to see us become more collaborative." (43:44)
Notable Quotable:
- Hunt: "I would love to see...the way I view America and the way I view the world on stage with the juxtaposition of the way Jasmine [Crockett] views this world. ...We both been black the whole time. We are...members of two very different parties..." (45:32)
6. FEATURE INTERVIEW: Robert Costa (CBS News)
Timestamp: 54:07 – 72:25
State of the Union as Theater
- Costa: “It’s kind of an evolution...the Constitution only says the president should update Congress...Presidents have used it to reflect their own personality. And last night certainly did that with President Trump.” (54:34)
- Trump weaponizes the SOTU event to define Democrats through confrontation.
On Alternative Democratic Responses
- Democrats’ counter-events (“State of the Swamp”) designed to rally the base, but risk being seen as unserious by swing voters.
- Some Democrats (e.g., Sen. Fetterman) skip theatrics: “Any president...deserves courtesy and respect.” (56:47)
On Decorum Breakdown
- Past outbursts (“You Lie!”) would dominate news cycles, now are “par for the course.” (57:58)
On Media Access and Trump
- “President Trump’s accessible...he comes out of a media environment...This is the language of the press.” (61:20)
- “It's important for the reporters...to focus on the work, to not get embroiled and sucked into some kind of debate about the press.” (62:44)
- Factchecking as a political act: “My approach as a reporter is to take people and their ideas seriously...but when they do raise questions about their conduct or...have to hold them accountable, do it in a way that's vigorous but not opinionated.” (63:48)
Congressional Paralysis & Partisan Warfare
- The State of the Union is “driven solely by the executive.” Congress has become a diminished institution (67:00)
- “It’s going to take leadership for big deals to get done...There hasn’t been a real big deal in Washington in a long time.” (69:35)
- On prospects for bipartisanship: “It’s difficult because...to win that primary for the House or Senate, you have to keep the base with you...It became about keeping your seat in a primary race versus cutting a deal in Washington.” (68:37)
- The prospects for midterms: “This is a real battle. It could be very tight. The House is already very tight. No guarantees ahead of November.” (71:01)
7. LISTENER CALLS AND CLOSING
Timestamp: 74:03 – End
Representative Topics & Insights
- The two-party system breeds polarization; calls for centrism and compromise.
- Multiple listeners express frustration at political division and partisanship.
- Stephen A. repeatedly stresses the need for “facts and fairness” to overcome tribalism and emotion.
- Explains nuance in policy beliefs, e.g., his own splits on abortion and LGBTQ rights: “Facts and fairness. That has to usurp feelings.” (77:12)
On “America First” and Historical Baggage
- Caller Tom from Florida claims the slogan is rooted in KKK dog-whistles. Stephen A. thanks him for the historic info and discusses optics versus intent.
- Stephen A.: “We can't count the amount of times I've criticized Trump...The difference between me and people who feel like you [do], Tom? Everything we say must be completely resistant to anything that he says or does…”
On Democracy and Leadership
- Multiple listeners call for Stephen A. to run for office; he declines but emphasizes the need for truth-tellers and bridge-builders.
- On performative politics: “All of these politicians are there for the money. They're not there for the people. And they perform on a daily basis. That's it.” (101:11 – Caller Robert in Georgia)
MEMORABLE MOMENTS & QUOTES
- Stephen A.: “Stop falling for the bait. You’re playing right into his hands and you won't listen.” (13:36)
- Rep. Hunt (on race): “I am being judged not by the color of my skin, but by the content of my character…under no circumstances are you going to just belittle us by assuming that all black people have a 960 SAT and we could barely read.” (33:11)
- Stephen A. (on objectivity): “It ain't my job to take a side. It's my job to show you what the hell is going on from my perspective and my vantage point.” (87:58)
- Costa (on Congress): “Congress, in their view, is now so diminished in American public life...they see it as kind of a body of people that goes on television once in a while and follows the president blindly...” (67:00)
TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS
- 00:30 – Stephen A.’s opening, SOTU reaction
- 04:53 – Trump’s "winning big" audio and commentary
- 08:23 – Trump’s immigration “bait” and Democrats’ optics
- 15:46 – Carville rant and Stephen A. critiques
- 25:00 – Rep. Wesley Hunt interview
- 32:08 – Hunt discusses Gavin Newsom and “soft bigotry”
- 36:55 – Hunt on Texas Senate race, GOP infighting
- 41:06 – Hunt on Trump/Obamas “apes” video
- 43:08 – Hunt on election integrity and collaboration
- 54:07 – Robert Costa interview begins
- 63:48 – Costa on maintaining journalistic objectivity
- 67:00 – Costa on the weakening of Congress
- 68:37 – Costa on lack of bipartisanship in Washington
- 74:03 – Listener calls and closing hour
CONCLUSION
This episode serves as a blistering, insightful, and at times unfiltered analysis of modern American politics at its most combative and dysfunctional, as seen through the prism of the State of the Union Address. Stephen A. Smith stands out as a passionate, centrist voice—calling out partisanship, demanding facts and fairness, pushing both parties and the media for accountability. Guests Rep. Wesley Hunt and Robert Costa add deep firsthand knowledge of the modern political landscape, while the active listener segment proves Americans are keenly engaged—and frustrated—by the widening chasm between their leaders and their lives.
For listeners seeking a candid, no-spin breakdown of political spectacle and substance, this episode is essential—and, true to its title, very straight-shooting.