-(4)-1731951738-q80.webp){kind=small}
Former CNN host Don Lemon sparked controversy with a profanity-laden tirade targeting supporters of President-elect Donald Trump.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Lemon launched into an expletive-filled rant, mocking Trump supporters and the MAGA movement, labeling them as "dumb f---ing idiots."
"You’re so f---ing stupid, and you deserve it. You f---ing deserve it because you’re so dumb," Lemon said during an episode of The Don Lemon Show.
"Yes, I am gloating over your stupidity." He doubled down, calling MAGA supporters members of a "f---ing cult" and ridiculing their "stupid MAGA brain," adding, "You don’t even realize how co-opted you’ve been. How stupid and dumb are you?"
Lemon’s tirade came amid growing tensions within the MAGA base. Last week, the movement showed signs of splintering after Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, co-chairs of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), expressed support for H-1B visas for skilled workers.
The controversial stance triggered backlash from Steve Bannon, a prominent MAGA figure, who vehemently opposed the visas. Bannon called them a "scam" that undermines American workers by creating "indentured servants at lower wages," as he expressed on his War Room podcast.
Amid this intra-party discord, Trump sided with Musk and Ramaswamy, publicly endorsing the use of H-1B visas. Lemon seized on this moment to criticize the MAGA movement further, pointing out the appointment of Sriram Krishnan, a senior adviser on artificial intelligence under Trump.
The appointment fueled an anti-immigrant backlash on social media due to Krishnan’s advocacy for immigration reform, particularly in expanding green cards and skilled worker programs.
"Oh no, immigration," Lemon mocked sarcastically during his video. "We can’t do immigration because, you know, it triggers some people.
But you know what they’re really saying about immigration, right? They’re worried that one of the jobs you might want won’t be one of those ‘White jobs.’" Lemon laughed, further ridiculing those opposing immigration policies.
Lemon’s inflammatory rhetoric marks yet another chapter in his contentious public career. The former CNN anchor was ousted from the network in April 2023 after a series of scandals that alienated both viewers and colleagues.
Among his controversies were comments deemed sexist and alienating to female audiences, frequent clashes with conservative viewers, and on-air comparisons of Trump supporters to members of the Ku Klux Klan. He also sparked outrage by defending Antifa and criticizing unvaccinated individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing them of "taking up the space" in hospitals.
Most recently, Lemon criticized Time Magazine for naming Donald Trump its Person of the Year, calling the choice a "joke."
In his video, Lemon said, "If they wanted to make someone Person of the Year, I don’t know, they could’ve chosen someone who actually stands for democracy in this country."
The reaction to Lemon’s latest rant has been polarizing. While some viewers praised his unfiltered honesty, others condemned his language and tone as divisive and inappropriate.
Regardless of public opinion, Lemon’s remarks highlight the ongoing cultural and political divide in the United States as Trump prepares to take office.
