The Don Lemon Show

Tonight we’re talking about what feels like a deadly power trip, and it’s getting harder to ignore. From ICE and Kristi Noem terrorizing cities, carrying out aggressive enforcement with no due process and no concern for basic humanity, to Donald Trump pushing the country closer and closer to a full-scale conflict with Iran, the escalation is happening in real time. What is going on here? And why does cruelty always seem to be the point? We’ll break down how unchecked authority, dehumanization, and reckless leadership are colliding, and why this moment should alarm everyone, regardless of politics. This episode is brought to you by Lean. If you want to lose meaningful weight at a healthy pace and keep it off... Add LEAN to your diet and exercise lifestyle. Get 20% OFF WHEN YOU ENTER LEMON at https://TAKELEAN.com This episode is sponsored by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/DON and use promo code LEMON today for 20% off your first order! This episode is brought to you by OneSkin. Get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code DON at https://www.oneskin.co/DON #oneskinpod This episode is sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/NEW YEAR or text “DON” to Five Eleven Five Eleven. And help protect a country that belongs to all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning we will look again to Minnesota, where ICE is wreaking havoc. Day after day we are flooded with videos showing ICE's brutality and disregard for humanity toward the people of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and too many cities across the country. We've seen them kill before, multiple times, and it must stop. ICE must be abolished. This morning we are joined by Attorney and Advocate  @rob_held  to break it all down. This episode is brought to you by Lean. If you want to lose meaningful weight at a healthy pace and keep it off... Add LEAN to your diet and exercise lifestyle. Get 20% OFF WHEN YOU ENTER LEMON at https://TAKELEAN.com This episode is sponsored 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 brought to you by OneSkin. Get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code DON at https://www.oneskin.co/DON #oneskinpod This episode is sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/NEW YEAR or text “DON” to Five Eleven Five Eleven. And help protect a country that belongs to all of us. WE HAVE MERCH!! Purchase here: https://don-lemon-merch-store.myshopify.com/ WATCH & Subscribe on YouTube @TheDonLemonShow! Become a member of our channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXs0PlIGUDSXfBaF7j-1euA/join Follow Don on Substack! Listen on Apple, Spotify and iHeart Radio! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don sits down with Michael Cohen to break down the chaos dominating the news today. From the expanding ICE raids to reports of federal agents stopping people on the street and demanding proof of citizenship, they ask the obvious question: what is happening here? Don and Michael dig into why this escalation is alarming, how it clashes with basic constitutional protections, and what it means when a government starts treating everyday life like a checkpoint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we’re taking a closer look at the fallout from the Minneapolis ICE shooting, and one of the most striking developments isn’t just the outrage from local leaders and families, but the fact that not all Trump supporters are defending what happened. Podcasters like Joe Rogan have openly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration tactics, questioning the broader approach to ICE enforcement even while some continue to defend the agency. Will this incident further fracture conservative support and put even some MAGA figures at odds with the administration’s response? What does this means for accountability and the future of ICE’s presence in communities across the country? Tonight, Don is joined by friends of the show Jolly, Jack Cocciarella and Wajahat Ali, to break it all down. This episode is sponsored by ZBiotics. Go to https://zbiotics.com/LEMON and use LEMON at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. This episode is sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Go to https://FFRF.US/NEW YEAR or text “DON” to Five Eleven Five Eleven. And help protect a country that belongs to all of us. This episode is brought to you by Lean. If you want to lose meaningful weight at a healthy pace and keep it off... Add LEAN to your diet and exercise lifestyle. Get 20% OFF WHEN YOU ENTER LEMON at https://TAKELEAN.com This episode is sponsored 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 brought to you by OneSkin. Get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code DON at https://www.oneskin.co/DON #oneskinpod This episode is sponsored by American FInancing: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 888-675-4090, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/Lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don breaks down a recent podcast appearance by influencer Nick Shirley, the same creator whose viral video alleging child care fraud at Somali-run day care centers in Minnesota helped thrust the story into the national spotlight and ultimately contributed to an ICE surge in Minneapolis. Don examines how this kind of viral, unverified content can shape political narratives, influence policy, and even prompt federal action, regardless of whether the underlying claims have been substantiated. While Shirley’s video alleged widespread fraud and drew millions of views, state officials later found no clear evidence of fraud at many of the featured centers. In today’s rapid media cycle anyone can say anything, even without solid evidence, and have it spread like wildfire, often with real consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices