Stephen A. Smith Clashes With ‘The View’ Hosts Over Sen. Kelly’s Video on Military Orders

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith engaged in a heated exchange Thursday on ABC’s “The View” after criticizing Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., for appearing in a video that urged U.S. military and intelligence personnel to refuse “illegal” orders, as reported by Fox News.

The panel confronted Smith over his remarks, prompting a back-and-forth that continued throughout the segment.

Co-host Sunny Hostin opened the discussion by calling Smith “loud and wrong” for condemning Kelly. After the show aired the clip of Smith’s original commentary, Hostin asked whether he wanted to reconsider.

“I’m not changing a thing,” Smith replied.

“I didn’t stutter when I said it.”

Hostin responded, “OK. You want to stay loud and wrong?”

Smith answered, “Well, you can call it loud and wrong all you want to. You’re entitled to your opinion, I’m entitled to mine.”

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The controversy centers around a video released last month featuring six Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Kelly.

In the video, they urged military and intelligence community members to rely on their consciences and refuse to obey “illegal” orders, stating, “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community officials against American citizens.”

Smith sharply criticized Kelly during his XM radio commentary last Wednesday.

“Respectfully, senator, what the hell are you doing?” Smith said. “Looking into the camera and telling military men and women to ignore the commander-in-chief? How dare you? How dare you do that?”

While debating on “The View,” Hostin attempted to counter Smith’s argument by referencing past comments from Pete Hegseth stating military members should not follow unlawful orders. Hostin said this aligned Hegseth with Kelly.

Smith rejected the comparison. “First of all, I don’t give a damn what Pete Hegseth has to say, because I will tell you right now, he was never qualified for the job… I don’t care what he has to say. Let me get that out the way,” Smith said.

Smith continued by arguing that Kelly’s military background puts him in a precarious position when making public statements on military compliance.

“You can be implicated for implying something if you are a former military member, or you are a present military member,” he said.

“It wasn’t what Mark Kelly said, it’s the fact that he was a combat Navy pilot who served in the military who would tell folks, ‘ignore an order,’ when it could get them in a world of trouble.”

Co-host Joy Behar and Hostin interjected to note that Kelly explicitly referred to ignoring “illegal” orders. Smith replied, “I said illegal. I’m talking about illegal.”

Hostin insisted, “He said you don’t have to follow an unlawful order, and that is in the military code of conduct. It didn’t sound like you were aware of that.”

“Which I’m aware of,” Smith said.

“But it didn’t sound like you were aware of that during your show,” Hostin said.

“I disagree with you,” Smith responded.

Smith later added that “two governors” had texted him to say he was wrong, aligning with “The View” co-hosts’ position. Hostin replied, “You are wrong.”

Smith countered, “And I had two senators that reached out to me and said ‘you aren’t wrong at all.’”

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