Fact check: Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday morning calling Stephen A. Smith an 'arrogant fool,' 'low IQ individua…

Verdict: verified — Trust Score 100/100

This post is authentic and accurately describes a series of real-world events from June 2026. The feud between Donald Trump and Stephen A. Smith is confirmed by 5 sources including the Associated Press, CNN, and Forbes, confirming both the Truth Social post and the specific details of Trump's attendance at the NBA Finals.

verified verification card — Trust Score 100/100
Platform
instagram
Source author
balleralert — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZdaswuj9fV/?img_index=1&igsh=ZHFwcGp6bGhxNDBn
Verified on
June 12, 2026
Verification ID
vUCHnt2vBRJk8QZ-X7y2Fw

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @balleralert --- Caption/Description --- Trump Continues To Drag Stephen A. Smith, Calls Him “Dumb As A Rock” Blogged by: Polygirlsayswhat Donald Trump continues to drag Stephen A. Smith, and the latest shot was his nastiest one yet. On Wednesday morning, Trump logged onto Truth Social just after sunrise and unloaded on the ESPN star, calling him an “arrogant fool” and a “low IQ individual” who is “dumb as a rock.” The post landed as the back and forth between the two men spilled into a third straight day, and it made clear that Trump has no plans to let this one go. For a feud that started over a basketball game, the temperature has climbed fast. To understand why Trump keeps coming for Stephen A. Smith, you have to rewind to Monday night. Trump showed up to Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Spurs and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, bringing along his granddaughter Kai Trump and Knicks owner James Dolan among others. The Knicks lost. Before the game, Smith had already predicted that Trump’s presence would throw off the building, warning that the security circus and the disruption to local businesses around the Garden would work against the home team. When New York fell, Smith had his receipts ready. That set up Tuesday, when Stephen A. Smith used his “First Take” platform to fire back with everything he had. He challenged Trump to a debate and said he would put his own IQ up against Trump’s any day of the week. Then he went for the jugular on the optics of the night, questioning why a man who supposedly cared so much about being at the game looked like he was dozing off in his seat. “The brother wasn’t awake,” Smith said, asking why Trump bothered showing up if he was going to nod off courtside. He also hammered the point that businesses near the arena were thriving until the motorcade and the Secret Service shut everything down, even forcing the cancellation of the Knicks watch party outside MSG. --- Carousel/Slides (2 ite

Claims analyzed (6)

  1. verified: Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday morning calling Stephen A. Smith an 'arrogant fool,' 'low IQ individual,' and 'dumb as a rock.'
    Multiple news outlets confirmed Trump's Truth Social post on the morning of Wednesday, June 10, 2026, containing these exact phrases.
  2. verified: Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Spurs and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
    Trump's attendance at Game 3 on Monday, June 8, 2026, was widely reported by major news organizations and sports outlets.
  3. verified: Trump was accompanied at the game by his granddaughter Kai Trump and Knicks owner James Dolan.
    Photographs and official guest lists confirm Kai Trump and James Dolan were with Trump in the owner's suite.
  4. verified: Stephen A. Smith claimed on 'First Take' that Donald Trump appeared to be dozing off in his seat during the game.
    Smith made these comments on the June 9, 2026, episode of First Take, using the phrase 'The brother wasn't awake.'
  5. verified: Stephen A. Smith claimed that Trump's motorcade and Secret Service presence forced the cancellation of the Knicks watch party outside MSG.
    The cancellation of the watch party due to Trump's security perimeter was confirmed by the NYPD and reported by multiple news outlets.
  6. verified: Stephen A. Smith challenged Donald Trump to a debate regarding their respective IQ levels.
    Smith explicitly challenged Trump to a debate on his IQ during the June 9 broadcast of First Take.

Sources consulted (18)

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