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Former CNN anchor Don Lemon said on Wednesday he is leaving Elon Musk’s X, a decision made less than a year after X announced that “The Don Lemon Show” would appear on the social media platform three times a week. That deal was canceled before it was ever signed, and Lemon sued Musk and X over it back in August.
Lemon pointed to X’s updated terms of service, which kicks in on Friday and states that all disputes with the company must be handled in a northern Texas court.
“As The Washington Post recently reported on X’s decision to change the terms, this ‘ensures that such lawsuits will be heard in courthouses that are a hub for conservatives, which experts say could make it easier for X to shield itself from litigation and punish critics,’” said Lemon in a statement posted on X. “I think that speaks for itself,” he continued.
Earlier this year, X announced several video content partnerships with big names like former congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, sports commentator Jim Rome, and — most surprisingly — Don Lemon. It was part of a broader video push on X that still hasn’t quite panned out, roughly a year later. Lemon said at the time that he resonated with the free speech message that Musk was pushing.
Contract negotiations between X and Lemon fell apart before a deal was ever solidified. In the midst of negotiations, Lemon interviewed Musk to be the first guest on his new show, which was slated to appear on X, but also on YouTube and other platforms as part of the deal — it was never an exclusive partnership. Musk became visibly uncomfortable and upset during that interview, as Lemon prodded the billionaire about his reported ketamine usage, his opinions on DEI, and X’s content moderation.
“Don … Choose your questions carefully, you’ve got 5 minutes left,” said Musk at one point in the interview.
Shortly after that interview, Musk canceled the deal with Lemon. Semafor reported that Musk texted Lemon’s agent with the brief, but harsh message: “contract is canceled.”
From there, things only got worse. In August, Lemon filed a lawsuit in a federal court against Musk and X claiming he was tricked into a business arrangement under false pretenses. In September, Musk asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit, but the case appears to be ongoing.
Maxwell Zeff is a senior reporter at TechCrunch specializing in AI and emerging technologies. Previously with Gizmodo, Bloomberg, and MSNBC, Zeff has covered the rise of AI and the Silicon Valley Bank crisis. He is based in San Francisco. When not reporting, he can be found hiking, biking, and exploring the Bay Area’s food scene.
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