Stephen A. Smith dumps cold water on narrative Trump ruling like a king

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Monday refuted the narrative that President Donald Trump is governing as a king following so-called “No Kings” protests on Saturday.

The “No Kings” protests occurred throughout the United States, and the movement’s website says the purpose of the demonstrations was to oppose “authoritarianism.” Smith, on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” said the number of legal challenges — and victories — against the Trump administration actually proves American democracy is functioning under his presidency.

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“What were they protesting? ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and migrants being grabbed in the streets by members of ICE in an effort to ultimately deport them,” Smith said. “And folks were coming to the defense of it — you had the state of California suing the Trump administration.”

“You have people talk about ‘No kings, no kings, he’s not a dictator, this is not an authoritarian regime,” he continued. “But that’s why he’s trying to make it like’ — or, well, really? That’s why the state’s suing him. That’s why he’s losing some of these cases in court.”

California sued the Trump administration on June 9 over its efforts to maintain order in Los Angeles by deploying the National Guard amid anti-ICE riots. While Judge Charles Breyer, a Clinton appointee, blocked Trump’s deployment of the National Guard on Thursday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals quickly paused the judge’s decision until at least Tuesday, when the next hearing on the issue is expected.

“Last time I checked, you’re in a position of power, you try to get your way, somebody sues you, they fend you off by going through our court system,” Smith added. “The court system makes a ruling, and as a result, it shows that our system works.”

“What is Trump doing differently than what he campaigned on? You may not like it — that’s why you win the election, so he’s not in a position to do it — as opposed to focusing on stuff that ain’t gon’ win an election,” he said.

Trump’s administration has faced numerous lawsuits during his second term thus far. For instance, as of May, Democratic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had sued Trump, his officials and agencies 23 times on issues such as transgenderism in schools, federal funding cuts and immigration, according to press releases from his office.

“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” the movement’s website states. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like … On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t—to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.”

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