ESPN star Stephen A. Smith strongly defended his decades-long friendship with Fox News primetime host Sean Hannity, describing it as “resolute” in the face of criticism.
Smith told The Washington Post in an interview published Tuesday that his friendship with Hannity transcended political bounds, as he wouldn’t let people dictate how he was supposed to feel toward someone solely because of their political preferences.
“There’s plenty of people that have friends in their lives that don’t agree with their politics,” Smith said ahead of the launch of his politics and pop culture-focused radio show, “Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith.” “All of a sudden, because it’s Sean Hannity, it’s supposed to be different. I don’t want to hear that crap. That’s nonsense.”
Smith and Hannity have repeatedly sparred on the latter’s eponymous Fox News show, squabbling over everything from President Donald Trump’s decision to name Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary to Trump’s lucidity during the 2024 election.
But the two have also complimented their friendship in the past, discussing on Hannity’s Fox Nation show “Sean” in January how they met in the Fox News hallways.
“We met at a time when I was really, really struggling in business,” Smith told Hannity. “I was doing an interview with Fox News, and I came out of there, and you saw me in the hallway and let me know that you had seen me a few times, and that you really, really liked what you were seeing and to keep up the great work.”
Hannity eventually brought Smith on his show, and the two would then chat before or after each appearance. “We just hit it off,” Smith said.
The ESPN personality reiterated the dedication to the relationship to the Post, claiming Hannity — a longtime friend of President Trump — modeled a traditional member of the Republican Party no matter how the president has reshaped it.
“He’s a die-hard conservative,” Smith said. “He believes in free-market capitalism and closed borders and strong national security and stuff like that. He’s not some White nationalist or anything like that. Sean doesn’t roll like that. I know him, so I don’t worry about that. And you know, if it’s all about friends being agreeable with one another, then what kind of real friendship is that?”
