Stephen Smith rips Democrats for not standing during Trump's SOTU: 'When are you going to learn?'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Sports commentator-turned-political voice Stephen A. Smith delivered a fiery rebuke of Democrats on Wednesday, February 25 arguing that their reaction during a key moment in President Donald Trump’s State of the Union (SOTU) address showed they have learned little from their 2024 election defeat.

Smith, who has increasingly weighed in on national politics, said the refusal by many Democrats to stand when Trump called for prioritizing American citizens over undocumented immigrants was politically tone-deaf and potentially self-defeating.

Stephen A Smith warns Democrats

“If you consider the question that he asked about putting America first and American citizens first, he didn't sit up there and say white Americans or black Americans. He said Americans,” Smith said.

“Meaning that if you're an American citizen, no matter what— you could be of African-American descent, you could be of Hispanic descent, you could be of white descent— It doesn't matter.”

For Smith, the optics were damaging. “The fact that he said America before everybody else and the Democrats didn't stand up is a reminder of what lost them the election in 2024.”

The moment Smith referenced came when Trump challenged lawmakers to stand if they agreed with the statement “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”

Most Republicans rose. Most Democrats remained seated, though some applauded lightly.

Smith argued that the moment was deliberately constructed as a political trap and that Democrats walked straight into it.

“And see, this is where I get angry because I'm not rooting against the Democrats. I'm rooting for them,” he said.

He pointed to Mike Johnson’s appearance on Sean Hannity’s show following the speech as evidence Republicans immediately recognized the opportunity.

“Speaker Mike Johnson was on Sean Hannity's show last night in the immediate aftermath of the State of the Union address, smiling ear to ear. They're going to use it as a campaign tool.”

“And I'm saying time and time and time and time again, stop falling for the bait. You're playing right into his hands and you won't listen. You won't listen.”

Democrats' blunder at Trump's State of the Union address

Smith expressed disbelief that Democratic lawmakers failed to anticipate the fallout.

“I mean, you can't see it coming? You can't understand the importance of prepping yourself and preparing yourself not to fall for the okey-doke?”

Perhaps the sharpest part of Smith’s commentary was aimed not at partisan rivals but at Democrats themselves, particularly from the perspective of independents and moderates.

“And then you wonder why people like me get angry. Independents who are moderates who usually vote left,” he said.

Smith pushed back against what he sees as Democrats dismissing criticism from within their broader coalition.

“And then it's us. It's us that's against y'all. We're not down for democracy. We're not down for what's right. We're not down for the Democratic Party.”

He continued, arguing the Democratic party has failed to give moderate voters sufficient reason to stay engaged.

“You're not looking at the fact that you're not giving us the chair about. You're not giving us enough to support. Because you keep falling for the same old same old every single time. When are you going to learn?”