Pat McAfee's Interview With Trump On ESPN Proves He Didn't Sell Out

When Pat McAfee licensed his daily program to ESPN in 2023, critics predicted he would sell out. I was one of them.

McAfee built his brand entirely outside the establishment, mainly through his YouTube channel. That independence freed him from the guests, talking points, and speech-policing that define much of sports media.

It seemed he was following the path of Bill Simmons and Dan Le Batard, former disruptors who became corporate mouthpieces for profit. With a reported $17 million annual salary, many assumed McAfee would tone down his style and conform.

He didn’t. The critics were wrong. I was wrong. His decision to interview President Donald Trump live on ESPN this week proves that.

The interview should not be controversial. McAfee broadcast from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina in honor of Veterans Day. The President of the United States joined the show for 20 minutes to pay tribute to veterans. A conversation with the president is not inherently partisan. Barack Obama appeared on ESPN several times, including on "Pardon the Interruption."

Regardless of politics, speaking with the president is a privilege. That’s why we have long argued that championship teams should visit the White House under both Trump and Biden.

The media, however, sees it differently. The industry remains overwhelmingly liberal and quick to attack anyone who doesn’t show disdain for Trump. ESPN has a long record of uneven treatment between liberals and conservatives. The network recently removed Paul Finebaum from the air after he admitted to OutKick that he voted for Trump and is considering a Senate run as a Republican. The network made no such move when Stephen A. Smith teased a presidential run as a Democrat or when Elle Duncan praised Michelle Obama on air.

McAfee understands these dynamics. Though he rarely speaks about politics, he is a target because he refuses to align with the approved side of the culture war. Critics went after him early in his ESPN tenure for interviewing Aaron Rodgers, whose views fall outside the accepted script.

"Every week when you see Aaron Rodgers on the Pat McAfee Show, it is like you are watching Newsmax," former ESPN host Jemele Hill told CNN in 2023.

In truth, McAfee interviews Rodgers because he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, not because of his politics. Likewise, he interviewed Trump because any serious talk show host would.

"For the immediate people that are mad—it’s the President of the United States. It’s Veterans Day. He’s the Commander-in-Chief. Obviously, if we have the opportunity to talk to him, we’re going to," McAfee said after the interview. "And he’s hilarious."

McAfee was addressing critics like partisan internet hack Aaron Rupar, who objected to ESPN giving Trump airtime. "ESPN gave Trump a platform to spew lie after lie on Pat McAfee’s show with no pushback," Rupar complained.

What lies? Trump discussed the NFL kickoff rule, Veterans Day, and paying college athletes. Rupar didn’t specify. His outrage simply pleased his crowd.

McAfee also invited President Obama to appear, but Obama was unavailable. Rupar and his peers ignored that.

Some assume McAfee’s $85 million contract gives him license to resist groupthink. It doesn’t. Status and contracts tend to make broadcasters more subservient to industry norms.

Consider Stephen A. Smith. After signing a $100 million deal earlier this year, he has become increasingly deferential. Last month, he went on a two-week apology tour to the "black community" after criticizing Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

When critics target Smith, he capitulates and panders. By contrast, McAfee resists their foolish standards.

His refusal to bend has consequences. Since joining ESPN, various planted stories have surfaced to undermine him, using information that could only come from inside management.

Still, McAfee understands that he does a show not for the gatekeepers of the media reporters, but for his own fans and followers. That separates him from most sports broadcasters, who now seem more interested in impressing the media elite than actual sports fans.

As a result, McAfee interviews the biggest names in the country while his colleagues posture about race and social topics they barely understand.