Don Lemon Unveils New Elon Musk Interview Clip On ‘The View’: Ex-CNN Anchor Presses Billionaire On Claims About Lower Standards For Female And Minority Pilots

Greg Evans

March 15, 2024 at 5:06 PM·3 min read

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UPDATE, with full video: Former CNN anchor and now ex-X talk host Don Lemon released yet another segment of his sit-down interview with X owner Elon Musk today, with the clip showing Lemon pressing Musk about the latter’s claim that the airline industry has lower standards for female and minority pilots than for white male pilots.

Appearing on ABC’s The View today to tout his upcoming, now-YouTube series The Don Lemon Show, Lemon brought along the new interview clip that features a persistent Lemon questioning a seemingly flustered Musk about the pilot issue.

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See a portion of The View segment below.

Lemon points out that, after a door-sized panel blew off of an Alaska Airlines/Boeing jet mid-flight, the female pilot landed the plane safely and without further incident.

Musk has repeatedly tweeted and amplified others’ tweets that “DEI” – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – is being prioritized by the airline industry over safety.

In the clip of the show, set to debut Monday on YouTube and other platforms, Lemon asks Musk, “Do you believe that women and minority pilots are inherently less intelligent and less skilled that white male pilots?”

“No,” Musk replies, “I’m just saying we should not lower standards for them.”

“But,” says Lemon, “there’s no evidence that the standards are being lowered when it comes to the airlines…”

“Ok, you’ve repeatedly said that there’s no evidence that the standards are being lowered,” replies Musk. “Then watch the replies showing all evidence that it is.”

“Replies on social media and twitter are not necessarily fact and evidence,” Lemon says.

“In the replies to this you will see how often the information is showing indeed there are significant cases where the standards are lowered,” Musk says.

The Don Lemon Show, which was set to debut on X March 18. But, just hours after the Lemon-Musk interview took place, Lemon said he was told the show was canceled. He says it will be posted on YouTube and that he’ll share it on X and other platforms.

On The View today, Lemon said that neither Musk nor X were ever his “boss,” but rather a “distribution partner.” The former CNN anchor also said he went into the partnership “with eyes open and with best intentions.”

“I took them at their word when they courted me,” he said. When View co-hosts asked why Musk canceled the X deal, Lemon said, “That’s a good question for Elon Musk – he knows who Don Lemon is.”

Behar also called Musk “a snowflake,” and co-host Ana Navarro told Lemon, “I think getting fired by Elon Musk is something you should wear as a badge of honor.”

.@DonLemon speaks out after his partnership for his new show with X was canceled following his interview with Elon Musk: "I went into it with the best of intentions."

"I'm an independent and believe in free speech… I took them at their word — they courted me for months." pic.twitter.com/B1U5rXh1eP
— The View (@TheView) March 15, 2024