Stephen A. Smith Explains Why He's Now Open To Presidential Run, 'Country Sucks'

Stephen A. Smith says he wants to run for president of the United States, but there's one enormous roadblock ... MONEY!

TMZ Sports caught up with the ESPN star, who previously told us he had no interest in running, during Kenny Smith's The FlyHouse All-Star Bash presented by Resorts World in Los Angeles, who told us straight up, "The country sucks."

"I think the country is devoid of leadership, the kind of leadership we have, we don't need. The kind of leadership we should be getting, nobody is stepping up and doing. I don't desire to be a politician, but in the same breath, the opportunity to go on a debate stage and call out these politicians for the things that they've done to damage this country is something that very much appeals to me," SAS told us matter-of-factly.

A strong statement ... so, we asked the 58-year-old what it would take for him to actually run, and Smith said this ... "My money has to be tight."

"My quality of life needs to be straight, you know? From my understanding, that can't happen because I'd have to give it up in order to run."

FYI, Smith reportedly signed a 5-year, $100 million deal with ESPN last year.

Ultimately, Stephen A. says he'd love the opportunity to "debate these politicians that I think have divided all of us and have really screwed up this country."

"That's what I really, really want to do, more so than anything else. But I'm not going to lie and act like it wouldn't be attractive if I knew I could win the presidency, that I wouldn't be tempted, because I know I would."

Don't expect a final decision to come anytime soon. SAS says nothing "definitive" is coming until 2027.