Tipsheet

Don Lemon Defends His Controversial Statement About Black MAGA Republicans

Former CNN host Don Lemon defended his statement about black MAGA Republicans after his comments on Bill Maher’s recent podcast sparked online backlash.

During a wide-ranging interview on “Club Random,” Lemon argued he doesn’t believe one “can be black and be a rational MAGA person,” an opinion Maher said black Republicans would likely find “very insulting.” 

“Well, I mean, the truth is often insulting,” Lemon responded. 

"On The Don Lemon Show today, I'll be responding to the same right wing extremists, internet trolls and media organizations who endlessly attack me, call me racist and/or homophobic slurs, purposely paint me in a negative light, fein outrage and then gin up fake controversy when someone who looks like me dares to hold up a mirror to them," Lemon said to Newsweek in a statement. "As I said, 'The truth is often insulting.' I'm entitled to my point of view just as much as MAGA, Fox News, right wing media and internet trolls are entitled to theirs. If you want to know what more I have to say about it, watch my show."