Stephen A. Smith Blasts AOC Over ‘21st Century Fascism’ Claims [WATCH]

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith criticized Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday following her recent comments labeling Republicans as fascists.

Smith argued that the Democratic Party’s focus on divisive issues and inflammatory rhetoric has contributed to President Donald Trump regaining the Oval Office.

Ocasio-Cortez made her remarks in a series of Instagram videos on Sunday.

Celebrate Trump’s Historic 2024 Victory with the Exclusive Trump 47th President Collection!

Her comments followed a temporary 12-hour shutdown of the social media platform TikTok, during which she alleged that the company was “privately collaborating” with the Trump administration.

Smith responded to her statements by accusing Democrats of engaging in “bullying tactics” and emphasizing issues like transgender rights, which he suggested alienated voters.

“So the left has not engaged in bullying tactics, so ‘woke’ culture didn’t exist?” Smith said.

“Where people had to make sure they echoed the right pronoun in order to keep their job security. Where you had to sit and, God forbid, you literally challenged somebody with regards to transgender issues you were considered to be transphobic.”

Smith also criticized inconsistencies in the left’s messaging, particularly regarding women’s rights and transgender participation in sports.

“Where one minute we were called upon to protect the young women in our society, and then that got thrown out the window the second a male was transitioning to female and wanted to participate in female sports,” Smith said.

“And then all of a sudden there wasn’t any consistency with the stuff that had been spewed beforehand and ultimately enforced.”

Smith pointed to Democratic priorities as a key reason for Trump’s resurgence in the political landscape.

“So now it’s the Republicans we need to be worried about? But not y’all? Y’all would never do such a thing. Oh my goodness. It would never be you. That would never happen. Really?” Smith said.

“This is exactly why Trump is in office. Racist, fascist and all these other names. That’s what you do when you’re on the left. Not paying attention to the fact that the vast majority of American people are tired of that.”

The ESPN host also highlighted the perception that Democrats have prioritized niche issues over broader concerns.

“When are you going to tell us a message we want to hear? Trump didn’t win the election. You all lost. You put him there and let me get real raw with this. It got so bad with Biden in office, racism was thrown aside,” Smith said.

“Transgender issues don’t make up one percent of this population. Black people make up nearly 14% of this population, and for the vast majority of the last few years that issue has been more important than issues pertaining to black people, it seemed. That is just the truth.”

The controversy surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports has been a growing topic of debate.

Lia Thomas, a biological male, won the 500-yard women’s final at the 2022 NCAA championships, sparking national discussion.

Similarly, college teams have forfeited matches against San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball team due to the inclusion of a transgender player.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the player spiked a ball into the face of a San Diego State University player during an October 10 match.

The issue has also extended to high school sports.

North Carolina volleyball player Payton McNabb suffered a career-ending concussion in September 2022 when a spike from a transgender player struck her in the face.

McNabb testified about her ongoing medical symptoms during legislative hearings in April 2023.

Smith’s remarks highlight a broader frustration with Democratic messaging, as the party continues to face criticism over its priorities and rhetoric.

The intersection of cultural and political issues remains a pivotal factor in shaping the current political climate.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.