Don Lemon Given Final Warning From CNN Execs, Report Claims

Sources also state that staffers are still upset with Lemon for his comments. Lemon himself is also apparently frustrated with the network, while CNN execs reportedly feel his ratings on his former nighttime show and the network’s morning news show are too low.

The comments, including Lemon saying that a woman’s competency was between her 20s and 30s, came after he was asked to respond to politician Nikki Haley’s assertion that presidential candidates over 75 years of age should be submitted to competency tests.

Lemon’s full comments, according to US Weekly, are as follows:

“She says people, politicians are not in their prime. Nikki Haley is not in her prime, sorry. A woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s…If you Google, ‘when is a woman in her prime,’ it’ll say 20s, 30s, and 40s. …I’n not saying I agree with that so I think she has to be careful about saying that [politicians aren’t in their prime].”

The age range Lemon seems to be referring to, as his co-host Poppy Harlow asked, was actually the age range for women’s childbearing years, which has nothing to do with mental competency. But Lemon’s doubling down on the statement made his foot-in-mouth issue worse.

As his comments quickly gained traction on Twitter, Lemon took to his account to issue a statement.

“The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it,” he wrote. “A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”

Wednesday, Lemon wrote on Twitter after returning to work from a Tuesday anti-bias training.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today,” he wrote. “To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience–I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better. See you soon.”

The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023

I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today. To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better.
See you soon.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 22, 2023