Stephen A. Smith says he won't be Katie Zacharia's replacement due to the salary
Stephen A. Smith says he won't be Katie Zacharia's replacement due to the salary
Jorge SolisSat, November 14, 2026 at 3:27 AM UTC
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Stephen A. Smith pushed back on the press secretary position -Credit:Getty Images (Getty Images)
TV analyst Stephen A. Smith ripped apart the White House Press Secretary position in a new interview.
During the Fox News broadcast of Hannity on November 12, Smith, 59, spoke to the political host about whether he would take on the Press Secretary role. The NBA analyst poked fun at the position after Katie Zacharia, 42, had departed from the role. After about five days on the job, Zacharia was ousted from her position, becoming the shortest-tenured White House press secretary in modern history.
The sports commentator said he wouldn't even take a pay cut to become the new Press Secretary.
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Sean Hannity said, "You were even questioned about being the new Press Secretary."
Smith replied, "Yeah!" and chuckled.
Hannity continued, "That was pretty funny! That was great!"
Smith added, "That was absolutely hilarious! Evidently, they don't know about the life I lived."
Hannity said, "You can't take the pay cut, Stephen A!"
Smith responded, "I ain't taking that! I wouldn’t take that pay cut for almost anything but the presidency.
Stephen A. Smith mocked the Press Secretary position on Fox News
"And then again, you have a king! You can't campaign! You know that's not going to happen!
He joked, "It would take me winning the presidency in order for me to consider giving up what I have.
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"That ain't happening! Press secretary, please!" he finished.
Ahead of the broadcast, the ESPN commentator interviewed President Donald Trump for his show, Straight Shooter.
After the interview, Smith was surrounded by reporters as he exited the West Wing of the White House, according to The Hill.
Stephen A. Smith spoke to Sean Hannity on his Fox News show
One reporter asked, "What about the press secretary role? Did you discuss that?"
Smith answered, "No."
Another journalist pressed, "Did he offer you it?"
Smith yelled, "No way in Hell!"
As Press Secretary, Zacharia started her duties on Monday, Oct. 12. She then held her first White House press briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 13, before eventually being fired on Friday, Oct. 16.
Host Sean Hannity joked Stephen A. Smith wouldn't even "take a pay cut" for the White House role
Her major gaffe in front of the cameras took place when she appeared with Trump, who was taking questions from reporters outside the White House.
When a reporter asked Trump where Zacharia passed the bar exam in the U.S., she responded on October 13, "When I moved to China."
That same day, Zacharia's press briefing lasted only about 15 minutes, in which she took only three questions. She also couldn’t answer one of them. Zacharia also appeared visibly nervous and mainly read off her prepared notes.
Katie Zacharia lasted about a week as Press Secretary -Credit:Getty Images
Her credentials and qualifications came under fire after CBS News reported that she had represented herself as a lawyer over the years. Although she graduated from Pepperdine Law School, she failed the California bar exam in 2011 and didn't pass the bar in any other U.S. state.
On October 17, she took to X to thank the president for hosting her and her family in the Oval Office of the White House.
"Thank you, President Trump, for hosting my family and me in the Oval Office and for the generous gifts you gave my children on my son's birthday. It was an unforgettable honor," Zacharia wrote.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
