Former CNN host and independent journalist Don Lemon said Wednesday that he is “seriously” considering a run for president in 2028, revealing during a podcast interview that people have repeatedly encouraged him to enter the race.
Lemon made the comments during an appearance on the podcast Can’t Be Censored, hosted by Karman Wong and Travis Dhanraj, where the conversation turned to whether he had any interest in pursuing elected office.
“Do you have political ambition? Is that true?” Dhanraj asked.
Lemon initially replied that he did not have political ambitions, but acknowledged that speculation about a potential presidential campaign has become increasingly common.
“No, but people keep asking me if I’m running for president,” Lemon said. “And I don’t know. I might. I’m serious. I don’t know. I might, because people keep asking me to do it, or if I’m going to do it.”
The former television anchor went on to explain why he believes a presidential campaign is worth considering, saying he has looked at others who could potentially seek the office and has come away with mixed impressions.
“I look around, you know, and I see the folks who are, you know, possibly in the running, and some of them are impressive,” Lemon said. “Many of them — most of them — are not.”
Lemon also argued that political experience is no longer a requirement for someone seeking the nation’s highest office. Pointing to President Donald Trump, Lemon said the current president entered office without prior political experience.
“It seems, in this day and age, you don’t have to have a ton of political experience because our current president has none — had none,” Lemon said. He added that he believes Trump “could have done a better job if he actually listened to people,” while claiming the president “thinks he knows everything.”
Despite those criticisms, Lemon expressed confidence in his own ability to serve in the Oval Office.
“I actually think I would be a really good president of the United States,” he said.
Dhanraj then asked Lemon whether he was genuinely serious about the possibility of launching a presidential campaign.
“I’m being totally serious,” Lemon responded.
Wong followed by asking what it would take for Lemon to make such a campaign a reality.
“For the people to want me,” Lemon answered. He also said that if he were to run for president, he would hope to conduct a campaign without having to rely on asking supporters for money.
“What it would take is if I ran a political campaign, a presidential campaign, I would like to run it — and I don’t know if this is realistic or not — without having to beg for money,” Lemon said.
Lemon has worked independently since his departure from CNN. In April 2023, he announced on X that the network had “terminated” him, saying at the time that the decision left him “stunned.”
Since leaving the cable news network, Lemon has launched The Don Lemon Show, which is available on YouTube and podcast platforms, where he continues to comment on current events and conduct interviews.
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