Former CNN anchor Don Lemon returned to the network on Monday night following a monthslong absence.
Lemon was fired by the network last year after comments he made about former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, 52, being past her “prime,” and he had been accused of misconduct toward female co-workers during his time at the network. In returning to CNN on Monday night, Lemon sat down to discuss political events with anchor Erin Burnett, who said it was “wonderful” to see him.
During his appearance with Burnett, Lemon talked about gun violence in the United States, including Sunday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The ex-CNN anchor argued that “nothing” ever happens to fix the nation’s gun violence and blamed Republicans for “killing sensible gun legislation.”
“So, perhaps if Republicans or Democrats want to get something in done, they should come up with a bill. Because he likes to have his name on it, and they should name it the ‘Protect Donald Trump Gun and Safety Act’, and perhaps it might get past some folks in Congress in the Senate, and he will sign it,” Lemon said on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront.
Lemon also pushed back against Trump and Republicans for accusing Democrats of using their rhetoric to increase danger in the country, pulling out a list of nicknames Trump has given to CNN and Democrats. He then suggested that Trump should “stop threatening democracy” if he wants people to stop saying he is a threat to democracy.
The former CNN anchor also detailed his new book, I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America, in which he argues that evangelicals in the U.S. are trying to turn the country into a theocracy. He added that it is “shocking” how these evangelical voters are supporting Trump in this election.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Lemon initially returned to CNN in March, almost a year after his parting with the network, to discuss an interview he did with Elon Musk, during which he argued Musk is not the free speech advocate he claims to be after he canceled a deal with Lemon starting his own show on X. Lemon has since filed a lawsuit against Musk over this axed deal.
In February, it was reported that Lemon agreed to a separation deal worth about $24.5 million with CNN, which would have totaled the final amount that he agreed to in his final contract with the network. However, a network spokesperson told the Washington Examiner the report was “incorrect.”