The Don Lemon Show

Don sits down with Vic Mensa, the Chicago-born rapper, activist, and outspoken advocate for justice, for a raw conversation about the state of the world right now.
They dive into the chaos unfolding around us, the dangerous history behind the phrase “just following orders,” and the moral responsibility individuals carry when systems go off the rails. From abuses of power to the erosion of accountability, nothing is sugarcoated. 🍋
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Tonight, we’re confronting a White House that looks like it’s in a full doom spiral. The signs are everywhere, unchecked abuses of power, escalating attacks on the free press, and rhetoric that chips away at confidence in free and fair elections.
Are we watching a slide toward authoritarianism in real time? What happens when guardrails are ignored and institutions are tested over and over again? And most importantly, what comes next? 🍋

This episode is sponsored by Bioptimizers. Go to https://bioptimizers.com/donlemon and use my exclusive code DON15 to get 15% off any order. Make 2026 the year you finally start sleeping great again.

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This episode is sponsored by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza. Visit https://graza.co/LEMON and use promo code LEMON today for 20% off your first order!

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This morning we bring you some sad news. The iconic Rev. Jesse Jackson has passed away. Don will be joined by his son, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, to remember his legacy, reflect on what he stood for, and honor the decades he spent fighting for justice, civil rights, and political power for the marginalized.
Then we pivot to the media meltdown. Reports that Anderson Cooper is leaving 60 Minutes have sparked major questions about what’s happening inside legacy newsrooms. Add to that the growing influence of Bari Weiss, the soft-glove treatment of MAGA figures, even those tied to the Epstein files, and the fact that CBS reportedly is blocking interviews to avoid angering Donald Trump, and you have to ask, what happened to the backbone of the press? 🍋

This episode is sponsored by Bioptimizers. Go to https://bioptimizers.com/donlemon and use my exclusive code DON15 to get 15% off any order. Make 2026 the year you finally start sleeping great again.

This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/donlemon

This episode is sponsored by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza. Visit https://graza.co/LEMON and use promo code LEMON today for 20% off your first order!
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Tonight, we’re tackling DHS funding and election integrity.
First, Don is joined by Hakeem Jeffries to break down the partial government shutdown fight over Department of Homeland Security funding and what it means for the country.
Then we pivot to elections. Kristi Noem says they want to make sure the “right people” are voting. The right people? What exactly does that mean? And should Americans be concerned about how this administration plans to oversee this year’s election?
Big stakes. Real consequences. No sugarcoating. 🍋

This episode is sponsored by Graza. Take your food to the next level with Graza. Visit https://graza.co/LEMON and use promo code LEMON today for 20% off your first order!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/donlemon

This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon

This episode is sponsored by Lean. Let's get you started with 20% off and free rush shipping so you can add LEAN to you healthy diet and exercise plan. Visit https://TAKELEAN.com and enter LEMON for your discount.
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Let's talk about Jeremy Carl, Donald Trump’s nominee for assistant secretary of state for international organizations, a role that would oversee U.S. policy toward the United Nations and its agencies.
Carl, a former Trump administration official and current senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, is facing intense scrutiny over past statements and writings that promote white supremacist, racist, antisemitic, and homophobic views.
Don unpacks what Carl has said, why it matters, and what this nomination signals about the direction of U.S. diplomacy if confirmed. This isn’t just about one appointment, it’s about who speaks for America.

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