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CNN pays Don Lemon $24.5MILLION to settle the ousted anchor’s separation deal – 10 months after he was sacked for saying Nikki Haley ‘isn’t in her prime’

CNN has agreed to pay Don Lemon $24.5 million to settle the ousted anchor’s separation deal – nearly 10 months after he was sacked for saying Nikki Haley ‘isn’t in her prime.’ 

Lemon, 57, will receive the total amount he was set to receive if his final contract concluded three and a half years after his ousting, TheWrap reported. 


The former prime time host was fired from CNN in April 2023 after 17 years with the network after sparking accusations of sexism when he said Republican presidential candidate Haley was past her ‘prime.’ 

Even after his co-hosts showed their shock at his comment, Lemon doubled down and told viewers a woman is in her prime ‘in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.’


Lemon announced his return to broadcasting with a new show on X in January 2024, nearly a year after he was unceremoniously fired for sexist and ageist remarks on air.


Lemon, 57, will receive the total amount he was set to receive if his final contract concluded three and a half years after his ousting

Lemon, 57, will receive the total amount he was set to receive if his final contract concluded three and a half years after his ousting

CNN has agreed to pay former prime time host Don Lemon $24.5 million to settle the ousted anchor's separation deal - nearly 10 months after he was sacked for saying Nikki Haley 'wasn't in her prime'

CNN has agreed to pay former prime time host Don Lemon $24.5 million to settle the ousted anchor’s separation deal – nearly 10 months after he was sacked for saying Nikki Haley ‘wasn’t in her prime’ 

When Lemon announced his departure, he said he was ‘stunned’ that management did not have ‘the decency’ to tell him directly in a post on X, formerly Twitter.


CNN’s communications team disputed this claim, saying his tweet was ‘inaccurate’.


In a statement on X, he wrote: ‘I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought 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.


‘It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.’

CNN’s communications team denied Lemon’s claims that he’d been sacked without ceremony, saying his ‘statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. 

He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.’



The separation payout agreement, reported for the first time this week, draws the saga between CNN and Don Lemon to a close after nearly one year.  

Don Lemon tweeted out his outrage that he had been fired from CNN in April

Don Lemon tweeted out his outrage that he had been fired from CNN in April

Former CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing of Don Lemon in April, two months before he was also sacked

Former CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing of Don Lemon in April, two months before he was also sacked 


In June 2023, Chris was fired as CNN's CEO after an article by The Atlantic magazine saw more than 100 CNN employees questioning his ability to lead the organization into the future. Mark Thompson (pictured) took over soon after

In June 2023, Chris was fired as CNN’s CEO after an article by The Atlantic magazine saw more than 100 CNN employees questioning his ability to lead the organization into the future. Mark Thompson (pictured) took over soon after

Network CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing in an internal message, thanking Lemon for 17 years on air and telling staff he would ‘forever be a part of the CNN family.’


Licht added that he was ‘committed’ to the success of CNN This Morning, the flailing morning news show Lemon had been helming with anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlin Collins.


One month after Don was fired, it was revealed that Kaitlin would be leaving the show as well, and switching to a nighttime news segment instead. She was later replaced by Phil Mattingly.

In June 2023 – weeks after Kaitlin’s exit – Chris was fired as CNN’s CEO after an article by The Atlantic magazine saw more than 100 CNN employees questioning his ability to lead the organization into the future. Mark Thompson took over soon after.


Lemon waves goodbye at the end of CNN This Morning - a moment that would prove to be his final appearance as a CNN anchor after 17 years with the network

Lemon waves goodbye at the end of CNN This Morning – a moment that would prove to be his final appearance as a CNN anchor after 17 years with the network


He was forced to apologize two months ago after making a jibe at Republican GOP candidate Nikki Haley ¿ saying she was past her prime

Presidential candidate Nikki Haley herself responded to Lemon's comments, saying 'It's always the liberals who are the most sexist' in a tweet with a clip of the video segment.


Nikki Haley is 51 years old. Don Lemon, 56, suggested that she was past her prime as a woman

Nikki Haley is 51 years old. Don Lemon suggested that she was past her prime as a woman

Lemon signed off from the show at 8:56 am Monday morning, saying ‘Bye everyone,’ with a wave. Little more than three hours later at 12:14 pm, he announced his surprise firing in a tweet.

It came after Lemon said Nikki Haley shouldn’t promote competency tests for elderly politicians because she was ‘past her prime’ as a woman.



Lemon made his comments in an episode of CNN This Morning as he discussed Haley’s proposal that politicians ages 75 and up should face competency tests. 

Don Lemon, who was 56 at the time, five years older than Haley, then 51, said the politician should tread lightly on the topic because ‘a woman is in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.’

Harlow and Collins responded with incredulity to the comment, only for Lemon to double down and insist that if viewers ‘Google it’ they would see he was right.


Though Lemon kicked off his comments by saying discussing the merits of age in politics was ‘the wrong road to go down,’ he quickly went down that road.

He said: ‘She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.’


Harlow cut Lemon off, asking: ‘What are you talking about? Prime for what?’ before Lemon pressed on while insisting: ‘That’s not according to me.’


‘It depends. It’s just like, prime. If you look it up. If you Google ‘What is a woman in her prime’ it’ll say 20s, 30s, 40s,’ he said. ‘I’m not saying I agree with that. So, I think she has to be careful about saying that, you know, politicians are in their prime.’

‘Are you talking about prime for, like, childbearing? Or are you talking about prime for being president?’ Harlow asked.

‘Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are.


‘I’m just saying Nikki Haley should be careful about saying that politics are not in their prime, and they need to be in their prime when they serve. She would not be in her prime according to Google or whatever it is.’


Throughout the interaction, Lemon directed all of his comments to Harlow, while Collins remained out of the fray.

The incident was just the latest eyebrow-raising comment from Lemon. He had been mired in controversy for months following mounting claims about his misogyny at the network.


Weeks before his comment, he asked a female co-host who stumbled over her words whether she had ‘mommy brain,’ and recently has been seen on camera repeatedly interrupting Collins.

The former TV host suggested he was responding to pressure from fans for his return

The former TV host suggested he was responding to pressure from fans for his return

Elon Musk's X Business announced Lemon's return to broadcasting, promising to share his 'unique and honest voice' on its platform

Elon Musk’s X Business announced Lemon’s return to broadcasting, promising to share his ‘unique and honest voice’ on its platform



Back in December of 2022, Lemon allegedly ‘screamed’ at Collins after he accused her of interrupting him several times while on air.

Collins ran off the set in tears on December 8 after Lemon yelled at her in front of the television crew and their other co-host Poppy Harlow, sources told The New York Post.

Shortly after news of Lemon’s firing broke, a source told DailyMail.com: ‘Don was given every indication when he made the fake a** apology for his disgusting comments and, still, no one wanted anything to do with him.’


They continued: ‘No one owes him anything. He should have had the decency to not be a misogynistic, sexist POS.

‘Don truly believed he was going to always get a get out of jail free card because he is black and gay, which worked to his advantage until it couldn’t.


‘It doesn’t matter what color you are or what your sexuality is. He lost the respect of all of the women on staff, and no one wanted to work with him.


‘Even after this, he still acted no differently and would give the women he worked with attitude because he could sense that they felt a certain way still.

Lemon reportedly angered both his CNN This Morning co-hosts, Kaitlan Collins (left) and Poppy Harlow (right), with his on-set behavior

Lemon reportedly angered both his CNN This Morning co-hosts, Kaitlan Collins (left) and Poppy Harlow (right), with his on-set behavior

Don Lemon once reigned supreme in the primetime slot at CNN during Trump's presidency

Don Lemon once reigned supreme in the primetime slot at CNN during Trump’s presidency


‘Good riddance and good luck getting a job elsewhere.’


Now, he has teamed up with X-owner Elon Musk to announce the debut of the The Don Lemon Show, a 30-minute production appearing on the platform exclusively three times a week.

‘I’ve heard you and today I’m back bigger, bolder, freer!’ he told his followers on X.


‘I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors.

‘This is just the beginning so stay tuned.’

His move to X mirrors that of former Fox anchor Tucker Carlson who made the platform his home since being sacked on the same day as Lemon in the aftermath of Fox’s disastrous $787 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over allegations its equipment stole votes from President Donald Trump.



‘Congratulations. It’s a new world. Welcome,’ Carlson tweeted in response to the news from his new colleague. 

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