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President Donald Trump has responded to comments made by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith regarding his attendance at the New York Knicks' Game 3 loss in the NBA Finals. Smith, a well-known Knicks fan, had publicly stated that if the Knicks lost, Trump would be to blame. The Knicks did indeed lose to the San Antonio Spurs, 115-111, on Monday (June 8).
According to CNN, Smith argued that Trump's presence at Madison Square Garden disrupted the team's momentum. Smith, known for his outspoken nature, said that Trump's appearance displaced thousands of fans and created unnecessary chaos.
Trump, however, did not take Smith's comments lightly.
As reported by Fox News, Trump responded by questioning Smith's presidential aspirations and intelligence. "I think he’s a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president," Trump said. "You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that."
Smith, not one to back down, offered a rebuttal on ESPN's "First Take," challenging Trump's comments about his intelligence. Smith said, "You wanna talk about IQ, I could say I could put my IQ against yours any day of the week."
The exchange between Trump and Smith has added another layer of drama to the NBA Finals, with Smith continuing to criticize Trump's decision to attend the game. The Knicks' loss has cut their series lead to 2-1, with the Spurs looking to capitalize on their momentum.
See a clip below from The Breakfast Club: