The Don Lemon Show

What do you get when you put Don Lemon, Tara Palmeri, Mike Nellis, Michael Fanone, and Glenn Kirschner in one livestream? A reality check we all desperately need. From the chaos in Los Angeles, where Trump’s administration keeps sending in troops no one asked for, to the rising tension between Israel and Iran (and U.S. involvement that feels like we’re inching toward World War III), this conversation goes deep. Plus: the ever-growing pile of Trump nonsense, legal failures, and the dangerous erosion of democratic norms happening right under our noses. No spin. No fluff. Just facts, frustration, and some hard truth from the people who’ve seen it all up close. Buckle up, it’s a lot. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just one day before Trump’s multi-million-dollar birthday military parade, the world is teetering on the edge of global conflict. After Israel launched strikes on Iran, Iran retaliated, and now, the U.S. is reportedly stepping in. Because nothing says “peace through strength” like a potential world war... and a massive military parade. While tensions in the Middle East explode, Trump is busy polishing tanks for his party and pretending everything’s just fine. Meanwhile, Americans are bracing for the fallout, both literal and figurative. Is this the brink of World War III? Or just another day in this surreal reality show we call politics? Join Don and the Lemon Legends as we break down the global chaos, the domestic dysfunction, and the dystopian optics of it all. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last night, Israel launched strikes on Iran, an unprecedented escalation that has global leaders on edge and many wondering: are we staring down the barrel of World War III? Meanwhile, back home, things aren’t looking any more stable. In Los Angeles, the Trump administration continues to back its unconstitutional deployment of the National Guard to silence protesters. And just when we thought the authoritarianism couldn’t get any more blatant, Senator Alex Padilla was detained and dragged out of a Kristi Noem press event for asking questions. Yes, really. Trump once claimed he’d “end the wars.” Instead, it looks like he’s starting new ones, both abroad and at home. Let's unpack the chaos, connect the dots, and ask the question on everyone’s mind: what the hell is happening? WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a shocking and brutal display of authoritarian overreach, Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a Kristi Noem press event in Los Angeles. And by “forcibly,” we mean tackled and dragged to the ground by Noem’s security detail because apparently asking questions is now a punishable offense. So… this is where we are now? Elected officials being physically assaulted for showing up in their own state? Is this Kristi Noem’s version of “law and order”? Or just more of the GOP’s ongoing war on decency, democracy, and basic human rights? Join Don as we break down the footage, the fallout, and what this all means for the future of political dissent in America. It’s giving fascism. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The tide is turning, and people are done staying quiet. Let's take a look at the growing chorus of voices speaking out against Donald Trump and his inhumane policies. From celebrities to lawmakers, folks are using their platforms to say what needs to be said. Kim Kardashian called the ICE raids what they are: inhumane. Tyler Perry and Doechii used their time at the BET Awards to call out Trump directly. And Eva Longoria took to social media to slam the cruelty of ICE detention practices. The message is loud and clear... enough is enough. While Trump tries to rule by fear, intimidation, and bad faith birthday parades, people are standing up and calling him out. Let’s talk about who’s speaking up, why it matters, and what happens next. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/donlemon and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk is backpedaling again. After throwing some spicy shots at Donald Trump, he’s now walking them back, saying he regrets his posts. Awww. Is this the end of their billionaire bromance feud? Or just a pause in the circus? Meanwhile, new reports reveal that the Fort Bragg soldiers at Trump’s speech were handpicked for optics, carefully curated to look the part and hold the "right" political views. Sound familiar? It's all part of the lead-up to Trump’s upcoming birthday parade: a pageant of loyalty and empty spectacle designed to distract from his mounting failures. Join us as we unpack the performative politics, the carefully staged military photo ops, and the Musk-Trump melodrama. It’s not leadership, it’s just propaganda in a red tie. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful sit-down, Don Lemon is joined by political commentator and journalist Ahmed Baba to break down the latest chaos from the Trump administration. From targeting immigrants who are following the rules to deploying the military to American cities (against the will of state leaders) this presidency is veering deeper into authoritarian territory by the day. California said “no thanks,” but Trump sent the troops anyway. Immigrant families doing everything right? Still under attack. So what do we do now? Don and Ahmed cut through the noise, expose the dangerous overreach, and make one thing clear: it’s time to stand up. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration keeps turning up the heat. First the National Guard, now the Marines. But is this military escalation really about maintaining peace, or manufacturing chaos? The media’s showing burning cars and chaos in the streets, but folks on the ground in LA are telling a very different story. Let's cut through the smoke (literally and figuratively) to ask: what’s actually happening in Los Angeles? Is this response about safety or about optics and control? And how much is too much when it comes to sending in troops against American citizens? Join us as we separate fact from fear-mongering and expose the reality behind the headlines. Because it looks like LA isn’t burning down… but our democracy might be. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ This episode is brought to you by Beam. Visit https://shopbeam.com/LEMON and use code LEMON to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. This episode is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/Freedom or text DON to 511 511 and become a member today. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at SHOPIFY. COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by Lean. Get started with 20% off when you enter LEMON20 at takelean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired D.C. police officer Michael Fanone joins Don Lemon to unpack the chaos surrounding current events and law enforcement. They discuss the alarming military deployment in Los Angeles and its questionable political motivations. Fanone questions Trump’s dictatorial behavior as he plans a birthday parade, and the duo tackles the cost of these military actions amid critical needs for veterans. Amidst serious critiques, they maintain a light-hearted approach, encouraging unity and peaceful protest in these turbulent times.

Corbin Bolas, a Reporter from The Daily Beast, joins the discussion to unpack the chaotic conflict between Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom over military intervention in protests. They delve into the implications of federal overreach and state sovereignty, raising alarms about the autocratic tone in U.S. governance. The conversation also highlights the challenges independent media faces in maintaining integrity amidst political pressures and sensationalism in the current landscape.