Don Lemon, a former anchor for CNN, stirred up fresh controversy with a profanity-filled tirade against supporters of President-elect Donald Trump on a recent episode of his YouTube show. This has sparked widespread criticism and revived debates about political discourse in the media. Lemon had received a $24.5 million settlement from CNN after his contentious exit from the network in 2023.
The controversy arose during a heated debate about H-1B visas that have caused divisions within Trump’s supporters. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, recently appointed as co-chairs of the new Department of Government Efficiency, have publicly supported the visa program for skilled workers. This position has been heavily criticized by Steve Bannon, a former strategist for Trump, who stated, “Let me just restate something, as a fact. The H1B visa program is a total and complete scam from its top to the bottom.”
In the video, Lemon unleashed a blistering critique of Trump supporters. “You’ve been co-opted because you’re in a (expletive) cult, and you don’t even realize it because you have stupid MAGA brain and you don’t get it,” he said. “How stupid and dumb are you?” He continued his tirade, declaring, “You’re so (expletive) stupid, and you deserve it. You (expletive) deserve it because you’re so dumb. Yes, I am gloating over your stupidity.”
Lemon, in response to the subsequent backlash, stood his ground on his remarks. He told his critics “too (expletive) bad.” He clarified that his remarks were directed at “MAGA-brained people” who justify Trump’s actions. He also accused Trump supporters of holding him to a “higher expectation” than Trump himself.
Lemon’s controversial departure from CNN in April 2023 followed a 17-year stint with the network. His termination resulted from multiple controversies, including comments suggesting Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past her prime at age 51. Reports also surfaced of alleged misogynistic behavior towards his female colleagues, including accusations of threats via text messages and making demeaning comments. After these incidents, CNN shifted him from his prime-time slot to co-host “CNN This Morning,” which did not fare well in ratings.
Throughout his time at CNN, Lemon was known for his frequent conflicts with Trump and his supporters. He compared them to members of the Ku Klux Klan and defended Antifa. His confrontational approach and openly left-leaning positions often drew the ire of conservative viewers and media organizations.
Lemon recently criticized Time magazine’s selection of Trump as the 2024 Person of the Year. “They could have done it to someone who stood for democracy,” he said, questioning how the magazine could select someone he believes “inspired an insurrection” and “tried to overturn a free and fair election.” Time’s editor-in-chief defended the decision, emphasizing that it was a recognition of Trump’s influence, not an endorsement.
Trump, on the other hand, has expressed his support for the H-1B visa program, siding with Musk and Ramaswamy. He has appointed Sriram Krishnan, a prominent proponent for increased immigration, as his senior adviser on artificial intelligence. This move incited an anti-Indian backlash on social media, particularly due to Krishnan’s past advocacy for a significant increase in green cards and immigration.
Several Fox News personalities have compared Lemon’s comments to Hillary Clinton’s “deplorables” remark, suggesting that such language might only encourage more people to support Trump. They implied that Lemon’s celebration of the perceived MAGA “civil war” over immigration policy reflects poorly on the mainstream media’s treatment of conservative voters.