Former CNN anchor Don Lemon announced on Wednesday that he would be departing from X (formerly Twitter), expressing his disillusionment with the platform following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, though he did not mention his own recent challenges in launching an independent show.
Lemon, who was dismissed from CNN due to multiple on-air comments criticized as misogynistic, shared his gratitude with followers in a video post. “I’ve truly enjoyed connecting with you all on Twitter and X over the years,” Lemon said. “But it’s time for me to step away from this platform. I used to see it as a place for open debate, transparency, and free speech, but I now feel that it no longer serves that purpose.”
Lemon also voiced objections to new terms of service on X, which now require creators who sue the platform to file in the U.S. Southern District of District in Tarrant County. He noted, “This has become a conservative hub, which, according to experts, could help X avoid litigation and stifle critics.” He urged his followers to stay tuned to his content on other platforms.
Lemon’s clash with X owner Elon Musk began after Musk invited him to launch “The Don Lemon Show” on the platform, a semi-regular, hour-long program where Lemon shared his take on current events. The show’s launch included an interview with Musk, but tensions rose when Lemon questioned him about his reported use of ketamine for therapeutic purposes. Musk cut the interview short, and plans for X to fund Lemon’s content soon dissolved. “The Don Lemon Show” has since continued with limited success, drawing thousands of views but underperforming compared to similar projects by other media figures like Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson.
Despite a history of controversial remarks, including saying that politician Nikki Haley is “past her prime,” Lemon has consistently voiced progressive perspectives in his work. He has criticized Musk’s stance on corporate diversity and equity initiatives and intensified his critiques of Trump throughout the election cycle. According to Megyn Kelly, Lemon’s failed X contract included demands for perks like a Tesla Cybertruck, a trip on a SpaceX flight, and a role in shaping Musk’s future media plans.
In recent news, it was reported that Lemon is in talks with former “Today Show” anchor Matt Lauer, who left NBC in 2017 following allegations of sexual misconduct, to co-host an “edgy, uncensored” show, inspired by Tucker Carlson’s expanding media ventures. “Matt sees himself as a network TV legend, and Don is equally confident in his own abilities. They’ve been exploring a potential collaboration.”
Lemon, Lauer, and Carlson are part of a growing trend of media figures charting their own independent paths. Fox News veteran Chris Wallace recently declined to renew his CNN contract, opting instead to launch a podcast series of his own. This shift suggests that many high-profile anchors see solo projects as a lucrative new direction in the evolving media landscape.
Source Video: TrendingPolitics.com
