Eric Schmitt on U.S. Politics

Public disputes concerning political parties, public officials, institutions, political conduct, and governance in the United States.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

4 statements on this page. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026

4 matching statements. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026

4 published statements. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026

Defended or excused

3 published statements. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026

3 statements on this page. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026

Eric Schmitt

Role at the time: U.S. Senator questioning a witness at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

September 29, 2026Defended or excused

Response to this claim

Sen. Eric Schmitt implied that Jack Smith attended a Golden State Warriors versus Atlanta Hawks NBA game in Atlanta on February 3, 2024, asking Smith whether he had gone to the game and displaying a poster of text messages he described as coming from Smith's team.

“I presented him with text messages about him wanting to meet with people that could have obviously been related to the prosecution that was coordinated with his office in Atlanta. ... I stand by that statement.”

Watch the original videoSen. Klobuchar Clashes with Sen. Schmitt After He Mistakenly Claims Jack Smith Attended NBA Game in Atlanta · C-SPANClip runtime 0:00-7:11. Sen. Schmitt's opening question and the text-message poster exchange run from 0:00-1:35. Jack Smith's Maryland-Iowa clarification and Sen. Klobuchar's on-the-record correction run from approximately 5:20-7:11.

C-SPAN video clip of the September 29, 2026 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at which Jack Smith testified. The clip covers Sen. Eric Schmitt's questions about Smith's attendance at a February 3, 2024 basketball game, Smith's denial and later clarification, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar's real-time correction. DI reviewed the audio directly to verify the exact wording of this exchange rather than relying on news paraphrase.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

The case tracks whether Smith attended the game Schmitt named. Schmitt defends the poster of text messages by saying they concerned Smith wanting to meet people tied to the Atlanta prosecution, and says he stands by a statement after Klobuchar's remarks about the teams. He does not address which game Smith attended and does not retract, so we labeled it a defense of the accusation rather than a defense of the game identification.

Read statement Did Jack Smith Attend the Warriors-Hawks Game Eric Schmitt Asked About?

Eric Schmitt

Role at the time: U.S. Senator, Missouri

September 24, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

Eric Schmitt voted nay on H.Con.Res. 89, a vote against directing the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran.

“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 89: A concurrent resolution directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”

Read the official statementU.S. Senate Roll Call Vote 244: H.Con.Res. 89, Iran War Powers Resolution (rejected, 49-50)

Official Senate roll call on H.Con.Res. 89, a concurrent resolution directing the President under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran. Rejected 49-50 on September 24, 2026. Fetterman was the only Democratic nay; Republicans Collins, Murkowski, Paul and Tillis voted yea; Alsobrooks did not vote.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

Voted against directing the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran, a vote to let U.S. involvement continue without congressional authorization.

Read statement Do they support the war in Iran?

Eric Schmitt

Role at the time: U.S. Senator, Missouri

June 23, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

Eric Schmitt voted Nay on H.Con.Res. 86, the Senate resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 86: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”

Read the official statementU.S. Senate Roll Call Vote 184: H.Con.Res. 86, Iran War Powers Resolution (agreed to, 50-48)

Official Senate roll call on H.Con.Res. 86, directing the President under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran. Agreed to 50-48 on June 23, 2026 — the first Iran war powers resolution to pass both chambers. Republicans Cassidy, Collins, Murkowski and Paul voted yea; Fetterman was the only Democratic nay.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

A nay vote opposed the resolution directing the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran, allowing U.S. military operations in the war to continue.

Read statement Do they support the war in Iran?

Explicitly stayed out

1 published statement. Dates: September 29, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 29, 2026

Eric Schmitt

Role at the time: U.S. Senator (R-MO), speaking to NBC News outside the hearing room

September 29, 2026Explicitly stayed out

Response to this claim

Sen. Eric Schmitt asserted that Jack Smith had already perjured himself, telling him, "I think you've already perjured yourself," after Smith said he did not go to a Hawks game.

“We’ll find out. That’s going to be up to a prosecutor to determine. My job here today was to ask questions and get answers.”

Open sourceLive updates: Jack Smith defends Trump investigations amid grilling from GOP senators · NBC NewsLive blog entry on Sen. Eric Schmitt's exchange with Jack Smith, Sen. Amy Klobuchar's closing remarks and Schmitt's comments outside the hearing room

NBC News live blog entry reporting Schmitt's questions to Smith about the February 3, 2024 game, Klobuchar's closing remarks about the Iowa-Maryland game, and Schmitt's comments to NBC News outside the hearing room.

Why we used this label

The case tracks whether Smith attended the game Schmitt named. Asked whether he still thought Smith had perjured himself after learning the details of the game, Schmitt neither repeated nor withdrew the claim and said a prosecutor would determine it, which redirects the question, so we labeled it as declining to answer.

Read statement Did Jack Smith Attend the Warriors-Hawks Game Eric Schmitt Asked About?