‘I Don’t Believe in Platforming Liars, and Bigots and Insurrectionists’: Don Lemon Speaks Out in First TV Interview Since CNN Firing

Fired CNN anchor Don Lemon sat down for his first TV interview since his departure from the network.

Lemon visited Memphis, TN to deliver a speech before the Memphis chapter of the NAACP and gave an interview to the local ABC affiliate, ABC24. He did not get into any of the specifics surrounding his dismissal from the network, but spoke more broadly about his journalistic principles.

“I don’t believe in platforming liars, and bigots, and insurrectionists, and election deniers, and putting them on the same footing as people who are telling the truth, people who are fighting for what’s right, people who are abiding by the Constitution,” Lemon said. “I think that would be a dereliction of journalistic duty doing those sorts of things. That is what has gotten me to this point, and that is what is going to carry me forward.”

Lemon notably clashed with Republican Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy which reportedly served as the final straw for several CNN leaders. Recently ousted CEO Chris Licht, who was still in charge when Lemon was fired, made clear that he wanted to feature more interviews with Republican leaders on the network.

The former CNN anchor went on to discuss his future, and made clear that he is in no hurry to decide what comes next.

“I’m not gonna force anything,” Lemon said. “I’m not gonna let others people’s timeline influence me. I know people say, ‘I miss you on television. What is your next move?’ I’m figuring that out. I don’t have to be in a rush. I think sometimes people rush to make decisions and they end up making the wrong decisions.”

Watch above, via ABC24 Memphis.