Stephen A Smith challenges Trump, Vance, Hegseth to debate after Jackie Robinson story deleted from DOD site

Despite a Department of Defense authoritative telling OutKick that the purging of a diagnostic astir Jackie Robinson's subject work was done accidentally, Stephen A. Smith does not deliberation "it was an honorable mistake astatine all."

While the communicative had been removed, the caller URL, which had besides included the letters "DEI" successful it, directed readers to a 404 leafage - the story, and its archetypal link, were restored connected Wednesday afternoon.

Smith took to ESPN's "First Take," wherever helium called retired the Trump medication for "not being honorable about" "a fewer things," adding determination has been "a concerted effort" to "scrub history."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Stephen A. Smith speaking successful 2021. (IMAGN)

"It's not truthful overmuch that you privation to eradicate DEI programs…how situation you effort to disregard the crushed for its beingness successful the archetypal place? Similar to civilian rights authorities successful 1964, akin to things similar affirmative action, akin to things similar the Rooney Rule successful the National Football League, etcetera, however situation you effort to get distant with highlighting wherefore it needed to beryllium successful the archetypal place?" Smith said. "It was due to the fact that of the iniquities of folks successful the United States of America - chiefly the White powerfulness operation that exists. It is simply a fact. It is known passim past that it is simply a fact. They privation to gloss implicit and erase the request for those things to instrumentality spot to statesman with."

Late Major League Baseball icon Jackie Robinson. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

ROBERT GRIFFIN III APPEARS TO TAKE JAB AT ESPN COLLEAGUES AFTER THEIR JACKIE ROBINSON MONOLOGUES

Smith said "nobody is calling out" Trump, but "I will." He did truthful by offering to statement him, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

"President Trump, I’m blessed to beryllium down with you to person that conversation, sir. I’d emotion for you to effort to support it. Vice President Vance, you too. Pete Hegseth, you too. Stephen A. Smith is calling you retired connected nationalist television. I’d emotion for you to beryllium down with the cameras rolling and effort to support this. It’s ridiculous."

The story, titled "Sports Heroes Who Served: Baseball Great Jackie Robinson Was WWII Soldier," was launched connected Feb. 9, 2021, written by David Vergun. Other features connected "Sports Heroes Who Served" see Bob Feller, Hoyt Wilhelm, Bob Uecker and galore others.

Last month, the Pentagon called for a "digital contented refresh" that would "remove and archive DOD quality articles, photos, and videos promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)."

Jackie Robinson, successful subject uniform, became the archetypal African American to motion with a White nonrecreational shot team. He signed a declaration with the insignificant league nine successful Montreal, a workplace squad for the Brooklyn Dodgers. (Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Robinson was drafted into the subject 5 years earlier breaking Major League Baseball's colour obstruction successful 1947 and was honorably discharged successful 1944 aft serving arsenic a 2nd lieutenant during World War II. His fig 42 was retired passim shot successful 1997.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.