Former CNN anchor Don Lemon sparked attention Sunday by discussing the possibility of running for president, claiming he could lead the nation more effectively than current President Donald Trump.
While he emphasized that no campaign is planned, Lemon said the idea is not entirely off the table.
“Do I ever think about it? Yes. Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself,” Lemon said on the podcast Pod Save America.
“Look, if I wanted to, I know people are going to think I’m crazy. This is going to be the headline, and people are going to laugh about it. I think I could be president of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump.”
Lemon also discussed how his status as a minority candidate might complicate a potential run.
He explained that white male candidates “get away with” far more than women or minority candidates and said that his independent registration could limit his chances under the two-party system.
“I probably would have to become a Democrat,” he added, highlighting the obstacles outside established political lines.
The former anchor referenced former President Barack Obama as an example of a candidate who overcame expectations.
“Did anybody think Barack Obama, as he says, this guy with a funny name is from a mixed background, did anybody ever think that he would become president, that he had that aspiration?” he asked. “I don’t have an aspiration to become president, but I do think that I could run this country a lot better than Donald Trump.”
Beyond politics, Lemon argued his media experience equips him with leadership skills.
“You know what else I think that I could run better than most people? … I could come in and fix the bulk of their problems and lickety split in no time flat,” he said, according to The Daily Caller.
Lemon spent 17 years at CNN, hosting Don Lemon Tonight from 2014 to 2022, and co-hosted CNN This Morning before his firing in April 2023 following allegations concerning comments about former Republican candidate Nikki Haley.
He now runs The Don Lemon Show on YouTube, with over 1.25 million subscribers, TV Insider highlighted.
Legal issues have also followed Lemon.
In January, he was charged with conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and violating the FACE Act after livestreaming anti-ICE demonstrators at St. Paul’s Cities Church in Minnesota.
He pleaded not guilty, maintaining he was engaging in journalism.
Despite these challenges, Lemon framed any potential political involvement as a matter of faith and public support.
“As a person of faith, I’d have to first consult with my creator about that,” he said, according to Trending Politics. “If she (my creator) gives me a sign, and so do the people, then it’s game on. Somebody has to fix all of the s— Donald Trump f—ed up.”
Lemon made clear he has no immediate plans to enter a race but left the door open for the future, citing his upbringing and belief in personal capability.
“As a child, my parents taught me I could be and do anything I wanted, and I believed them,” he said.
The former CNN anchor’s remarks combine political ambition, media expertise, and faith-based reflection, raising questions about his future in public life.
For now, Lemon remains a figure of attention in both media and political circles, balancing commentary, legal challenges, and speculation about a potential campaign.
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