The Don Lemon Show

Don sits down with friends of the show Wajahat Ali and Joy Reid to talk about the current political climate and the pervasive, deeply entrenched system of white supremacy that continues to pit working-class Americans against one another. Together, they explore what real solidarity looks like, how communities can resist being manipulated, and what it will take to build a more honest, equitable political culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we’re breaking down the growing and deeply alarming effort by MAGA forces to take control of mainstream media. From corporate shakeups to strategic acquisitions to coordinated pressure campaigns, the signs are becoming harder to ignore. They want to reshape the news in their own image and silence anything that challenges their narrative. We’ll look at how this takeover is happening, why it matters, and what it means for truth, democracy, and the future of journalism. Because this isn’t just about media politics, it’s about who gets to shape reality for millions of Americans. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by MSI United States. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can’t harm you if they can’t find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out this conversation from last week, where Don sits down with Tommy Christopher to break down the latest media shakeup and the Warner Bros. Discovery/Netflix deal, a move that could reshape the entire media landscape. What does it mean for journalism, entertainment, and the future of news? They also dive into Donald Trump’s recent comments about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Somali immigrants, remarks that were disgusting, vulgar, and blatantly racist. Don and Tommy unpack why these statements are so dangerous and what they signal about the escalating rhetoric coming from Trump and his allies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we confront the shocking reality of the ICE detentions that continue to surface. Each new piece of footage is more inhumane than the last, revealing conditions that no person should ever be subjected to. This is cruelty on full display, and it’s getting worse. Don breaks down how far this system appears willing to go, and what we can do to stand up, speak out, and demand accountability. Then, we turn to the major shakeups in the media world. A wave of firings, acquisitions, and restructuring has many observers warning that MAGA is attempting to consolidate mainstream media into a partisan, propaganda-style machine. Is this a coordinated media takeover? What does it mean for the future of journalism, truth, and democracy? And should we be worried? This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by MSI United States. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can’t harm you if they can’t find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don addresses the recent disgusting rhetoric from Donald Trump, starting with him calling a reporter “Piggy,” and escalating into a full-on racist tirade targeting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Somali immigrants. It’s vile. It’s dangerous. It’s racist. And it is absolutely unacceptable from anyone, let alone the president. Don breaks down why this rhetoric is so harmful, how it fuels hate and violence, and what it reveals about Trump’s increasingly unhinged desperation. This isn’t just words. It’s part of a long pattern of dehumanizing attacks designed to divide, distract, and incite. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we’re diving into the chaos sparked by Milo Yiannopoulos, who is now accusing several right-wing influencers and media personalities of being gay, comments that are already leading to threats of legal action. But beneath the spectacle lies a bigger question: What is it with MAGA’s constant, obsessive fixation on the LGBTQ community? From smear campaigns to conspiracy theories to outright harassment, the movement keeps circling back to the same tired bigotry. Then we’ll pivot to the latest updates in the Hegseth Venezuela boat strike scandal. Many are calling for the release of the video from the strike, footage that could clarify who gave the orders and what actually happened. Yet the full tapes have yet to be released. Why? What are they protecting? And who is making that call? This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by MSI United States. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can’t harm you if they can’t find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is brought to you by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code DON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Friday, and tonight we’re unpacking a massive week of news because the Epstein story just took another seismic turn. Earlier today, a Florida judge ordered the release of the Epstein grand jury transcripts, a stunning development that could reveal who knew what and who may have helped shield Epstein for years. This comes just days after the House Oversight Committee released a mountain of never-before-seen images and videos from Epstein’s island, raising even more questions about why the full files still haven’t been made public. We’ll also break down the latest in Donald Trump’s escalating war on birthright citizenship, as he pushes new attacks on constitutional rights in yet another attempt to reshape immigration policy through fear and legal overreach. And tonight, we’re joined by friend of the show Francesca Fiorentini, who will help us make sense of the madness, the politics, and the fallout from a week that hasn’t slowed down for a second. Check out more from Francesca  @franifio  This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by MSI United States. Donate now to help millions of women get access to care — and to hope. You can Text LEMON to five eleven five eleven, or go to https://MSIUnited States.org. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don sits down with attorney Dina Doll to break down the latest news surrounding the Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect arrest, investigating MAGA conspiracy theories, how Trump has been hateful since the very beginning, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we’re taking a hard, honest look at the state of the country. The economy is wobbling, unemployment is skyrocketing, families can barely afford groceries, and yet the Trump administration continues to insist we’re living in the “strongest economy ever.” The disconnect couldn’t be more insulting. Meanwhile, the Hegseth Venezuela boat strike scandal is still growing, with new details raising even more serious questions about legality, leadership, and accountability. And to make matters worse, the Supreme Court has now allowed Texas to move forward with its new redistricting map, a decision that could hand Republicans up to five additional seats, reshaping power in Washington for years to come. So the question becomes: What do we do? How do we fight back? And how do we hold onto hope in times this bleak? This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off first time orders. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Visit https://FFRF.US/SHOP or DON to 511 511 From Black Friday through December 9th, you can get 20% off all FFRF merchandise — wear your principles, speak your truth. And you can give the gift of freethought with a 2-for-1 membership offer. Join FFRF and get a free gift membership for a fellow freethinker in your life. New U.S. memberships only. Not renewals. Not lifetime tiers. Just a chance to grow the movement and defend real liberty. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DONLEMON. Promo Code DONLEMON. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don sits down with journalist and friend of The Don Lemon Show Ahmed Baba to break down all the major news of the day. They dive into the latest developments in the Hegseth Venezuela boat strike scandal, where questions of war crimes and accountability continue to grow. They also unpack the newly released images from Epstein’s island, discussing what they reveal, why they’re so unsettling, and the ongoing fight to get the full Epstein files released to the public. It’s a wide-ranging, sharp, and candid conversation about power, truth, and the chaos unfolding across the political landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices