Donald Trump said he would “love” to see ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith run for president, describing him as “a smart guy.”

Trump spoke up for Smith as the president faced a grilling from him at a NewsNation town hall on Wednesday. Trump said he “enjoyed watching” the TV personality and sports pundit, and would put him above other Democratic candidates.

The exchange took an uncomfortable turn when Smith confronted the president on his attacks on DEI programs. “We don't look at race, we don't look at color,” the president insisted of his efforts to shut down efforts to broaden diversity.

Smith, who makes frequent appearances as an NBA analyst for ESPN on SportsCenter, has previously flirted with the possibility of a 2028 presidential run.

Earlier this month Smith declared that he’s “leaving all doors open” after claiming in a recent interview that he’s growing “more serious about” a candidacy.

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“Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess,” Smith wrote, as he shared an article online. “So I’m officially leaving all doors open.”

However, Smith clasped his head in his hand in apparent embarrassment on Wednesday night, after fellow interviewer Bill O’Reilly told Trump about his plans.

The president responded: “Stephen A., he's a good guy. He's a smart guy. I love watching him. He's got great entertainment skills, which is very important – people watch him. You know, a lot of these Democrats I watch I say they have no chance.

Trump added: “I've been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates, and I will tell you I'd love to see him run.”

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Smith also received a round of applause from the town hall studio audience after he challenged the president over the executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI initiative across federal agencies.

“How do you justify these measures, and what message do they send to the marginalized communities in this country?” he said.

“We have a country that's based solely on merit now, and that's the way it is,” Trump replied.

“If somebody is out there doing a great job, and this includes getting into colleges if you've worked really hard … we don't look at race, we don't look at color, we don't look at height or shortness or weight.”

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