What's happened
Don Lemon has hinted on a podcast that he might run for U.S. president in 2028. He has argued that political experience is not necessary and that he could be a strong president. Since leaving CNN in 2023, Lemon has launched Lemon Media Network and grown a large online following while facing a trial over anti-ICE protest coverage.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- Lemon has positioned himself as a bold, outside-the-box candidate, arguing that experience is not a prerequisite for the presidency. This aligns with a broader trend of media figures leveraging personal brands to pursue political ambitions.
- The timing—weeks after public appearances and interviews and amid ongoing legal scrutiny—suggests the strategy is to keep Lemon in public discourse to test national feasibility.
- Watch for how his legal case and media profile influence potential donors and party support; financial and legal developments will shape whether a bid progresses.
- Implications for voters include increased skepticism about traditional political pathways and the growing role of media personalities in political discourse.
- Next steps likely involve more public comments, potential fundraising activity, and further media endorsements or criticisms across outlets.
How we got here
Lemon, fired by CNN in 2023, has built a media venture and gained a large online audience. He has previously teased a possible presidential bid in discussions at public events and on the podcast “Can’t Be Censored,” amid ongoing legal challenges related to a Minnesota church protest.
Our analysis
Independent (Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:00:46 +0100): Lemon has floated a possible 2028 run and cites Trump’s path as precedent; Lemon Media Network has expanded his audience. New York Post (Fri, 17 Jul 2026 02:35:39 +0100): Lemon reiterates that he might run, criticizing experience requirements and referencing his legal situation. New York Post (Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:25:18 +0100): Coverage of Lemon’s public remarks and ongoing career post-CNN.
Go deeper
- Will Lemon launch a formal campaign, or continue testing the idea on media platforms?
- How will his legal case affect fundraising and party support?
- Which party, if any, would back a Lemon bid, given his stated views?
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New York - Wikimedia disambiguation page
New York most commonly refers to: New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to:
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Minnesota - US State
Minnesota is a state in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and northern regions of the United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory.
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Don Lemon - American journalist and news anchor
Don Renaldo Lemon-Clark (born March 1, 1966) is an American television journalist best known for being a host on CNN from 2014 until 2023. He anchored weekend news programs on local television stations in Alabama and Pennsylvania during his early days as a journalist. Lemon worked as a news correspondent for NBC on its programming, such as Today and NBC Nightly News. Lemon is a recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2002 for his coverage of the capture of the Washington, D.C. snipers. He also received three regional Emmy Awards for his special report on real estate in Chicago and a business feature on Craigslist. He joined CNN in 2006, also as a correspondent and later achieved prominence as the presenter of Don Lemon Tonight from 2014 to 2022. He recently served as a co-host of CNN This Morning, alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow. He was fired by CNN in April 2023. Shortly after leaving CNN, Don Lemon created The Don Lemon Show, which now operates independently and has its own YouTube channel with approximately 1.25 million subscribers as of March 2026.