The Don Lemon Show

Don sits down with Sam Harris, neuroscientist, philosopher, and bestselling author, for a wide-ranging and, at times, heated conversation about the state of the country. They unpack the chaos dominating the headlines, the growing anxiety about democratic norms, and the deeper philosophical questions beneath it all. The discussion intensifies as they dive into race, privilege, and how society talks about inequality. This is a candid exchange about power, identity, and what it means to navigate a deeply divided moment in America. 🍋 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning, we’re breaking down all the chaos shaping the day. From Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on the free press, to Pam Bondi’s widely criticized and evasive hearing over her handling of the Epstein files, the hits just keep coming. Meanwhile, public support for ICE appears to be slipping as scrutiny intensifies and more Americans question the tactics and leadership behind the agency. The common thread? A movement that looks increasingly defensive, increasingly reactive, and increasingly aware that the tide may be turning. Joining us to break it all down are friends of the show Clay Cane and Reecie Colbert. 🍋 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! 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. NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 888-675-4090, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/Lemon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 🍋 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Presidents Day, and let’s just say, not all presidents are the same. Donald Trump's approval numbers are hitting an all time low while Barack Obama continues to enjoy strong favorability among many Americans. We’ll also break down the latest developments surrounding the Epstein files, what’s new, what’s unanswered, and what may come next. Join us as we unpack the headlines, separate signal from noise, and set the stage for the days ahead. 🍋 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re bringing you an extended live stream. Don is in court, and we’ll have coverage throughout the day with real-time updates, analysis, and reactions from friends of the show. This case goes far beyond one journalist, it’s about the freedom of the press, the right to report on protests, and whether the government can intimidate members of the media for doing their jobs. 🍋 This episode is brought to you Wildgrain. Right now, Wildgrain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box - PLUS free Croissants for life - when you go to https://Wildgrain.com/LEMON to start your subscription today. 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 Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by MSI. Text LEMON to 511511, or go to https://MSIUnitedStates.org. A gift of $39 is enough to give 6 women contraception for a year! Think of that. Please help them out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning, we’re covering a major development: Don is appearing in court after the U.S. Department of Justice brought charges tied to his coverage of a protest at a Minneapolis church. This isn’t just about one case. It’s about the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press and whether journalists can report on protests without facing retaliation from the government. We’ll break down what’s at stake and why this moment matters far beyond one courtroom. 🍋 This episode is brought to you Wildgrain. Right now, Wildgrain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box - PLUS free Croissants for life - when you go to https://Wildgrain.com/LEMON to start your subscription today. 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 Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by MSI. Text LEMON to 511511, or go to https://MSIUnitedStates.org. A gift of $39 is enough to give 6 women contraception for a year! Think of that. Please help them out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices