The Don Lemon Show

Tonight we’re talking about the massive pushback against ICE on the ground in Minneapolis with huge protests citywide, union-led walkouts, business closures, clergy arrests, and tens of thousands turning out in freezing cold to demand an end to the violent immigration detentions. People are angry, united, and refusing to back down, and we’ll break down what this uprising means, why it’s growing, and how it’s shaking up the narrative. Then we’ll pivot to the oncoming storm that’s set to sweep much of the country, what you need to know now, how to prepare, and what to...

This morning we’re diving into the escalating ICE crisis, and it just keeps getting more disturbing. Federal agents recently detained a 5-year-old boy returning from preschool, with local officials saying he was used as “bait” to apprehend family members. This is part of a widening pattern of violent, unchecked immigration enforcement that has rattled communities and raised serious questions about humanity and accountability. How low can this go on? Will this depravity ever stop? And will anyone ever face consequences? Join us live as we break it all down and demand answers. 🍋 This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to ht...

Tonight we’re breaking down major news, and a clear win for the First Amendment. A judge has rejected the Justice Department’s initial attempt to bring charges against Don Lemon, even as two activists involved in the Minneapolis church protests were arrested earlier today. This was just another case of Trump trying to intimidate the press and punish journalists for doing their jobs. This ruling sends a message: reporting is not a crime. Join Don live as he unpacks what the judge’s decision means, why this matters for press freedom, and where this failed attempt leaves the Trump...

Don sits down with journalist and friend of the show Ahmed Baba to unpack Donald Trump’s embarrassing performance at the World Economic Forum, from the rambling rhetoric to his concepts of a deal for Greenland. They break down why the world is cringing, what this says about Trump’s approach to diplomacy, and how this kind of spectacle undermines U.S. credibility on the global stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we’re covering yet another ICE-related death, and this time, the medical examiner has ruled it a homicide. A man died while in ICE custody, and once again, officials are scrambling to explain what can’t be ignored. How many people have to die before something changes? How many incidents does it take before there’s accountability? This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and st...

Tonight we’re diving back into Donald Trump’s embarrassing performance at the Davos World Summit, a rambling, unhinged mess that turned the U.S. into an international punchline. From absurd demands to petty whining, it was not leadership, it was a meltdown on the world stage. Let’s talk about why this matters and just how bad it looked. Tonight we are joined by rising country music star and political influencer, Bryan Andrews to break it all down! Check out more from Bryan Andrews here: https://www.instagram.com/bryanandrewsmusic/ This episode is sponsored by the Freedom From Religi...

Don and Dr. Frita break down chilling new reporting in the killing of Renée Nicole Good. She reportedly still had a pulse for minutes after being shot, while a doctor on scene was denied permission to help. They examine how this tragedy may have been preventable if care hadn’t been blocked, and what this says about ICE’s actions and accountability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we’re breaking down Donald Trump’s truly unhinged speech at the World Economic Forum, from his obsession with claiming Greenland to rambling geopolitical boasts that embarrassed America on the world stage. Many are openly warning his rhetoric risks alienating allies and destabilizing partnerships. Then we pivot back home to the chaos in Minneapolis and beyond, where ICE continues aggressive operations without guardrails, fueling protests and outrage as federal agents clash with communities already on edge. This episode is sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/NEW YEAR or text “DON” to Five Ele...

Tonight we’re breaking down Donald Trump’s unhinged press conference from today. It was a rambling mess of lies, grievances, and delusion. What was supposed to project strength only exposed chaos. Let’s unpack the madness. 🍋 This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online wi...

Don breaks down Donald Trump’s bizarre obsession with taking Greenland, his jaw-dropping claim that NATO is our enemy, and the stunned backlash from world leaders calling him a bully and an international gangster. Unhinged, dangerous, and embarrassing. This is not how global leadership works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning, Don responds to Nicki Minaj’s latest comments and calls out how she’s increasingly acting as a MAGA mouthpiece, echoing talking points instead of engaging with facts. When celebrities start laundering political propaganda and attacking journalists for doing their jobs, it deserves to be called out. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon This epis...

If you haven't heard, MAGA once again wants Don arrested. During Don's 6+ hour twin city livestream yesterday he reported live from a church in St. Paul where protesters gathered in response to allegations that one of the church's pastors is an ICE official. As always, Don chronicled the events as a journalist and interviewed churchgoers, protesters, and the pastor about what was happening. Why is MAGA so mad? Hear what Don has to say on Lemon Live at 5. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off any first...

Happy MLK Day, everyone. This morning we’re bringing you something special. Don is speaking at the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Breakfast, presented by PUSH for Excellence and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. In a moment defined by division, fear, and moral testing, we ask a vital question: What would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. do in today’s climate? How would he confront Trump’s America? What would courage, justice, and nonviolence look like right now? Join Don live for this powerful event as we reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, not as history, but as a living c...

Don is live from Minneapolis, on the ground as events continue to unfold. Bringing you real-time updates, firsthand perspective, and the latest developments straight from the city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we’re diving into the ongoing wave of federal violence and terror tied to ICE operations in Minnesota and across the country, and the latest developments are both shocking and deeply troubling. In the past two weeks, multiple shootings involving federal agents have rattled Minneapolis. Tensions remain extremely high as local communities continue to push back, and now we’re hearing from people on the ground who are living through this chaos firsthand, voices that show just how visceral and frightening these operations have become. When will this violence stop? How far are federal agents willing to go? And...

Don sits down with journalist and CNN legal analyst and author of Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York’s Explosive ’80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation, Elliot Williams to talk about his new book and how its themes echo in today’s chaos. Williams’s Five Bullets revisits the infamous 1984 Bernhard Goetz subway shooting and the divisive trial that followed, exploring race, crime, fear, and how media and politics shaped public perception. As a former federal prosecutor and senior official in the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, Williams brings a unique...

This morning we’re covering the death of an ICE detainee at a detention facility in Texas, another devastating chapter in a pattern that is becoming impossible to ignore. While all the details have not yet been made public, reporting indicates that the medical examiner is likely to classify the death as a homicide, raising urgent and alarming questions. Why are there so many deaths connected to ICE detention facilities? What conditions are people being held in? And why does accountability always seem to vanish when these cases come to light? We’ll break down what is known so far...

Don sits down with Rep. John Garamendi to take a deep look at the pressing crises facing the nation right now. They start with the fallout from the ongoing ICE violence in Minneapolis and across the country, including multiple federal shootings that have left communities outraged and demanding answers, and discuss the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding these enforcement actions. They break down Trump’s threats to use the Insurrection Act and deploy military force domestically to what these kinds of unchecked powers mean for civil liberties, democratic norms, and the rule of law. But what can lawmakers in...

Tonight we’re digging into the ongoing federal violence around ICE enforcement across the country, and the latest developments are truly horrifying. The brutal shooting of Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis sparked protests and outrage nationwide. But it didn’t stop there. Federal tactics continue to escalate: another person was shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis during a confrontation, and a 21-year-old protester was permanently blinded after being struck in the face at a demonstration in California. This feels less like enforcement and more like state-sanctioned terror, and the question everyone is asking is the same: when will...

Don sits down with journalist and friend of the show Ahmed Baba to make sense of the chaos we’re living in right now. They talk frankly about ICE and its increasingly inhumane and cruel practices, how fear and intimidation are being normalized, and what that means for communities across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices