Rep. Jasmine Crockett finally responds to Stephen A. Smith’s critique — and his apology

The month-long back-and-forth between ESPN host Stephen A. Smith and, well, himself — since Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) hadn’t responded until now — may finally be over.

Appearing on TSR Live Thursday night (Oct. 30), the Texas Democrat addressed Smith’s earlier criticism of her delivery and effectiveness in Congress, which sparked major backlash online and led to his public apology.

“When I first heard the comments, I was disappointed,” Crockett said. “Simply because it was a Black man.”

She noted that she has never met Smith personally. “I’ve never had a conversation with Stephen A. a day in my life,” she added.

Crockett went on to explain why his remarks stung.

“In the work that I do, I anticipate there will be plenty of racists or people on the other side who will criticize me — not the substance of my work, not the legislation, not the programs I run in my district,” she began. “But for a Black man, especially in a time when Black women are under attack … I just felt a way.”

Crockett called Smith’s comments “disappointing from a cultural standpoint,” noting his history of using his platform to call out Black women.

When asked if she accepted his apology, she seemed ready to put the feud behind her. “If you hadn’t gotten smoke, would you have done it?” she said with a laugh. “It’s done. We’re moving on.”

She closed by redirecting focus to her work. “My constituents understand that Trump is the big threat — not the way I talk,” she said. “I appreciate that people spoke out. I didn’t really have to say anything.”

Smith originally criticized Crockett on the Oct. 14 episode of his Straight Shooter podcast. His comments — following similar critiques of Serena Williams — reignited conversations about how powerful men in media engage with outspoken Black women.