Don Lemon, a popular former CNN anchor, offered a biting critique of his previous employer following his contentious exit from the network’s New York City offices in April 2023. This marked the end of his 17-year tenure and resulted in a substantial settlement from CNN, tinged with allegations, denials, and public disputes.
In a recent interview, Lemon stated, “Big TV networks and their executives don’t like big mouth, sort of middle or left-leaning people.” He accused these networks of systematically muting voices similar to his, adding, “They find ways to get rid of them.” Here, he directed his criticism toward the traditional media leadership.
The last fallout involving Lemon at CNN occurred when he asserted that Nikki Haley, the 51-year-old Republican presidential candidate, was “not in her prime.” This comment made in February 2023 led to immediate backlash, an official reprimand from CNN’s leadership, and played a role in his termination two months later. While Lemon described his firing as sudden, Chris Licht, CNN Chairman and CEO, stated that they had provided him an opportunity to meet with management before making a decision.
A thorough investigation by Variety revealed years of office tension. Multiple sources narrated incidents involving female colleagues, including an internal probe into alleged threatening texts sent to former co-anchor Kyra Phillips. The report recorded claims of Lemon ridiculing fellow anchors Nancy Grace and Soledad O’Brien on air, making derogatory comments about their looks, and damaging office property in fits of rage. Despite these controversies, Lemon’s position remained stable under the leadership of former CNN president Jeff Zucker, which concluded in February 2022.
In the latter part of 2022, CNN reassigned Lemon from his prime-time slot to co-host “CNN This Morning” with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. This transition was rocky. In February 2023, Lemon reportedly “screamed” at Collins off-camera following a dispute over interview interruptions, leading to network management directing him to take a day off to “cool off.” The show grappled with falling ratings and challenges in securing high-profile guests.
Lemon’s standing further declined after a December 2022 broadcast where he stated that men’s soccer was “more interesting to watch” than women’s soccer, promptly drawing on-air rebuttals from his co-hosts. A subsequent contentious interview with Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy exacerbated concerns about his on-air behavior and ability to remain impartial.
In February 2024, CNN reached a settlement with Lemon after months of negotiations. While the specific terms are confidential, financial reports suggest the network agreed to pay his full salary for the remaining 3.5 years of his contract, totaling approximately $24.5 million.
Following his exxit from CNN, Lemon launched two YouTube shows, “Live at Five” and “Hot Topics at 10,” adopting a more relaxed format from his home studio. However, his subsequent project, “The Don Lemon Show” on X, was abruptly ended when platform owner Elon Musk terminated the partnership, leading to Lemon filing a lawsuit.
Lemon’s termination coincided with broader changes at CNN under new management. Network executives found his position untenable following repeated controversies and their effect on advertising revenue. In the first quarter of 2023, “CNN This Morning” averaged a mere 359,000 viewers, significantly lagging behind its competitors.
