Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith said Thursday that former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci should have answered lawmakers’ questions during a Senate hearing rather than invoking the Fifth Amendment 111 times. Smith told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, “As it strictly pertains to the coronavirus pandemic, my attitude is, with you being the face that you have been, you can’t show up on Capitol Hill and plead the Fifth 111 times. You just can’t do that. That’s not right. You’ve got to answer some questions.”

A Legal Safeguard or a Refusal to Account?

During a three-hour hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Fauci repeatedly refused to answer questions, citing the Fifth Amendment. Smith acknowledged Fauci may have had a legal reason to remain silent, pointing to a pardon granted by former President Biden on his last day in office for potential offenses between January 1, 2014, and January 19, 2025. Smith said, “Anything that he said clearly could potentially incriminate him and could give them fodder to come after him for future potential transgressions, and they can go after him that way.”

Smith added, “I certainly don’t want an 85-year-old man thrown in jail, particularly with his exemplary service.”

Political Motivation or Principled Stand?

Fox News described Smith as “a politician as much as a sports media personality,” noting his frequent political commentary and appearances on political news channels. The outlet suggested Smith’s recent remarks about Fauci may be more about scoring political points than an example of actual courage and conviction. “Stephen A. Smith only speaks up about important societal issues only when it’s politically acceptable,” the article stated.

Smith addressed Fauci in a segment titled “Did Fauci Lie to Us All?” and also apologized to Kyrie Irving for calling him “selfish” for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. Smith said, “In my opinion, particularly hindsight-wise, it didn’t make him stubborn or selfish. It made him brave.”

Apology and Controversy

Smith offered a public apology to Irving, saying, “There’s several people that we all owe apologies to… but none more so than the apology that I owe to Kyrie Irving. It turns out that, no matter what the truth is behind all of this, Kyrie Irving did nobody wrong. We did him wrong. I did him wrong. And for that, I’m sincerely sorry.”

Despite his apology, Fox News noted that Smith’s timing,making these comments in 2026—suggests a lack of conviction. The outlet said, “Due to his inaction, and what I believe to be cowardice when faced with opportunities to take a real stand for the truth, and push against the mainstream prescribed narrative over the years, I’m not going to waste my time praising Smith for saying this in 2026.”

The article added, “Yes, I’m thankful he’s apologizing, whether it’s truly sincere or not. But, Stephen A.”