Don Lemon Fired by CNN
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Don Lemon was fired from CNN on Monday, shocking colleagues and the anchor himself, who posted a scathing rebuke of his former employer on Twitter.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN,” Lemon wrote. “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.”
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The network’s statement was oddly chirpy by comparison.
“CNN and Don have parted ways,” the statement said. “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
Network executives had only late last year picked Lemon to headline its new morning show alongside Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. At that time, according to sources, Lemon’s contract had been renewed into 2026 to encompass the new position. He was the highest profile anchor on ‘CNN This Morning,’ which was the brainchild of CNN chief Chris Licht, and launched last November. The show got off to a somewhat rocky start with weak viewership, mirroring a general ratings slide at CNN, and reports of tension among its co-hosts, especially between Lemon and Collins.
Then last February, Lemon made odd remarks – construed as sexist and misogynistic – about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, saying that as a woman in her 50’s, she was not in her “prime.” The discussion became awkward between Lemon and his co-anchors, and elicited a public reprimand from Licht, who characterized Lemon’s remarks as “upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts.”
Lemon apologized and agreed to sensitivity training.
Lemon joined CNN in 2006, from the NBC owned station in Chicago. He made a name for himself at the network in the 10 p.m. hour, rising to prominence as a provocateur and pointed critic of President Trump. Despite his tendency toward on-air flame throwing, Lemon was well-liked internally, say sources, including by the producing staff of his primetime show, ‘Don Lemon Tonight.’ He has hired feared Hollywood litigator Bryan Freedman to negotiate his exit from CNN. His ouster shocked many at the media company, which has been roiled by a series of layoffs that began in the wake of Warner Media’s acquisition by Discovery.
Last year, Licht – who was hand picked by Discovery chief David Zaslav – abruptly shut down $300 million streaming service CNN+ just one month after it launched, laying off hundreds of staffers. More recently, the network’s media relations and production staffs have been slashed. More recently, CNN’s treatment of Laura Coates, who joined CNN as a legal analyst and had be been anchoring the 11 p.m. hour, sparked controversy after CNN declined to offer her the anchor seat permanently. Coates was among the few African-American anchors on CNN.
Collins also had a primetime tryout of sorts. Last week, she anchored the 9 p.m. hour, which has been without a permanent host since Chris Cuomo was fired in 2021, generating rumors that she may be in line for a promotion to primetime.
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