Democrats now control both chambers of Congress, reopening the possibility that lawmakers could pursue a third impeachment of President Donald Trump. However, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith is warning Democrats that such a move could seriously damage their political future.
Smith has become increasingly outspoken about politics in recent months and has even discussed the possibility of running for office in 2028. Before the midterm elections, he used an episode of his Straight Shooter podcast to caution Democrats against making impeachment their top priority if they regained power.
Although Smith said he supports checks and balances, he argued that another impeachment effort would not serve the country or the Democratic Party.
“But when people want the Democrats to regain the House so they can impeach the president, we really going to go through that again?” Smith said. “The man was convicted of 34 felony counts. He was impeached not once but twice. He’s still a president.”
Smith questioned whether voters would support Democrats if their first major priority after taking control of Congress was pursuing Trump rather than addressing economic concerns.
“You really think that it’s good for this country if the Democrats regain office before the 2028 election to pursue this man and to try to impeach him?” he asked. “You really, really think that America wants that nonsense again?”
Smith argued that repeated impeachment proceedings could reinforce the perception that Democrats are more interested in revenge than governing.
“This is the kind of stuff that makes you look at the Democratic Party and say, ‘Yo, see, that’s why y’all turn people off,’” he said.
He emphasized that his position should not be interpreted as a defense of Trump. Smith criticized Trump’s comments about Venezuela and Iran and said he has never approved of the way Immigration and Customs Enforcement has operated.
Instead, Smith said Democrats should focus on the issues affecting people in their daily lives, particularly the cost of living.
“They want the gas prices to come down. They want the price of groceries to come down. They want interest rates to be reasonable,” Smith said. “They want to be able to afford their groceries.
They want to be able to afford gas. They want to be able to afford to pay their rent and their mortgages. That’s what they want to do.”
Smith went so far as to make a prediction about the 2028 presidential election. He said that if Democrats pursued impeachment, a Republican would win the White House.
“I’m going to make a prediction right here and now,” Smith said. “If the Democrats pursue impeachment against Trump, I’m guaranteeing that a Republican will win the presidency in 2028. You can book it.”
Smith said Democrats should use their control of Congress to demonstrate that they are capable of governing effectively. “Don’t waste your time impeaching him. Govern the country. Show that you want to govern. Show that you’re thinking about the American people instead of yourself, your vitriol, and your own commitment to vengeance,” he said.
“Otherwise, you can win back the House this Tuesday all you want, Democratic Party. You ain’t going to win the presidency in 2028,” Smith added.
Smith correctly predicted that Democrats would regain control of the House, but his Senate prediction was wrong. He expected Republicans to hold the chamber, but Democrats instead won nearly every key battleground state and secured control of both chambers of Congress.
That shift eliminates one of the biggest obstacles to impeachment. Democrats now have the authority to begin impeachment proceedings in the House and could use their control of the Senate to hold a trial.
Removing Trump from office would still require a two-thirds majority in the Senate, making conviction unlikely even with Democrats in control. Republicans would need to join Democrats in large numbers for removal to occur.
Trump has also been preparing for the possibility of a Democratic takeover. In January, he reportedly warned House Republicans at a retreat that if they lost the midterms, “I’ll be impeached.”
The new political landscape gives Democrats significant power to investigate the administration, block nominees, hold hearings, and challenge Trump’s policies. Whether they ultimately pursue impeachment—or follow Smith’s advice and focus on economic issues—will likely become one of the first major tests of their congressional leadership.